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Finance defines politics: the exchange of dollars for recommendations, the calculated cost of democracy. Candidates offer their support to the highest bidder, trading ideals for sponsorship. This is the slow destruction of government — with the intentions of a constitution undone by pennies. Men and women sell their motivations, and all assume that this is the only way to fuel progress.

There are other avenues to pursue, however — and among these is the Grassroots Movement process.

Simply explained: a Grassroots Movement is a collection of community efforts to inspire change. These efforts lack the usual corporate funding or manipulations. Instead they’re composed of simpler techniques — such as rallies, letters, stopping strangers on the street for petition signings, posting fliers and more. Raising money becomes a process for the people, rather than relying on companies. This produces a more honest (and earnest) campaign.

And such campaigns form the Green Party. This independent political movement emphasizes the need for social and environmental change — without succumbing to the influence of corporations or the media. It promotes justice within all forms of the country; and its penchant for Grassroots has led it to great success (with thousands of community victories and even occasional representatives with Congress or the Senate).

The value of a Grassroots Movement has forever been its ability to reach the masses. The inclusive nature of these campaigns — along with their refusal to accept donations from domineering businesses — allow them to please. And they ensure fairness within the world of politics.

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Running a campaign is always a stressful ordeal. There are a million ways to go about running a campaign and there are an endless number of approaches and stances to take during a campaign. You can advertise through direct tv, online or newspapers. While a large-scale campaign requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and in-depth knowledge of campaigning to be successful, there are a few key steps, tips, and ideas that can help with any campaign, large or small. And, of the many ways to put your campaign ahead of any opponent’s is with your reputation.

If you have experience in a position like the one you are campaigning for, you should use that experience to help your campaign. A good history of work ethic and dedication can work miracles for a would-be politician. As an example, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev was elected the First President of Kazakhstan when it gained independence in 1991. He has since been re-elected in every election since, occurring once every five years.

Opponents may also know the value of a reputation. If you have a bad reputation in politics, there is a good chance that your history will be used against you. There is little you can do to defend against this other than to brace yourself for the dirt, but it is better to simply try to avoid getting a bad reputation in the first place.

A reputation can be a candidate’s best friend or worst enemy. Using a reputation better than an opponent can give you a big advantage in any campaign, from School President to President of the United States of America.

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There’s no doubt about it. Next year is a presidential election and politicians are getting in gear for the race. The race is on and someone has to win, power is at stake.

To make an informed choice about who to vote for often takes research and truly researching each candidate. Sites dedicated to election news can be helpful. Commercials on television are generally not. Rumors, slander, and vitriol are pretty much all commercials on television are good for. What is sad is that all candidates pretty much take part and utilize any money that they gain from their campaign to look the other candidate look bad. Is this truly what politics has come to? Bashing of opponents?

In choosing a candidate, it is wise to truly seek out information on those seeking election. What is their campaign? What do these individuals stand for? What affiliations do they hold? Why do they stand for certain topics and what in their lives have proved their passion for these topics?

Watch the debates on television, follow the candidate’s campaigns closely to make an informed decision about which individual would best represent the United States. Politics in a nutshell is often dwindled down to a popularity contest. This is what society is used to with shows on television that actually support popularity. However, politics are serious. Power over the United States and representation should be more valuable. Help make it so by becoming an informed participant in this next election.

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Democracy is one of the worst forms of governance except for all the forms that having tried till date. Democracy is not a perfect solution but it certainly is better than all other options that mankind has seen till date. In such a scenario, it is important to maintain democracy in a pure form. The biggest enemy of democracy is money power.

People have been selling their votes since time immemorial. Some sell it for cash while others have sold it for better business opportunities. Trading of votes is not necessarily a bad thing because it compels the individual to compare different parties before taking a decision. However, the playing field should not be so unbalanced that a person with lots of money can simply demolish all opposition.

This is the reason why governments have limits on campaign spending in elections. Of course, there are ample loopholes that enable the rich to spend more than what is legally allowed without getting into trouble later. However, the fact that such limits exist means that a person who violates these rules can end up in trouble.

This is where technology can do its bit to protect democracy. An individual who collects small donations from hundreds and thousands of individuals on the internet can generate the same amount of funds as an individual seeking money from a few millionaires. The biggest advantage with the former option is that there is no scope for corruption or other such complications. Finding another contributor who is ready to pay $10 will not be very difficult. This approach will take democracy to the grassroots and keep it free of unwanted influences.

High Volume of Letters. All communications with your local Congressman/woman will go through their district office. There are thousands of letters that come into the office daily. Try to keep this in mind and remain patient when contacting a Congressman/woman.

Short and Sweet. Due to the large amount of letters and emails that a Congressperson gets you will want to make your letter short and sweet. Try to say everything that you want to say in as little words as possible. Your Congressperson does not have all day to read a ten page letter. You are more likely to get results if you say what you want to say and leave it at that.

Edit and Proofread. While you might feel like writing a letter in the heat of the moment make sure that you properly edit and proofread your letters. This will allow you to make sure that you are saying what you want to say and that you come off intellectually. It might be a good idea to have someone else read it over so that you can make sure your ideas are presented and elaborated on properly.

The Green Party to an outsider might appear to be a small branch of the Democratic Party but it really has some extremely different views. Here is a look at some of the views and political agendas of the Green Party.

The Iraq War. The Green Party believes that there should be an immediate withdrawal of the troops in Iraq. When the troops are gone there will be a oversight committee that is provided by the United Nations.

Privacy. The Green Party wants an immediate end to the Patriot Act and any other laws that invade the privacy of citizens. The Green Party sees these types of laws as extra ways for the government to invade the personal lives of its citizens.

Military Budgets. The Green Party would ideally want to take a majority of the money that goes to the military and send it over to environmental and social issues. This is because the party believes that there should be more support for living creatures than promoting the destruction of other societies.

Environmental Factors. The Green Party believes that the United States should be more involved with environmental concerns. They believe that there should be more restrictions on greenhouse gases and companies that are responsible for these gases.

Abortions. The Green Party would ideally want to provide all women with access to safe abortions.

In January Robert Gibbs made the announcement that he would be stepping down as White House spokesman although at the time there was no official date given just a vague in the future. There was no reason given as to why he has decided to leave such a prestigious position. The decision to step down as White House spokesman was a shocking one to the public and those in the political circle. On February 7, 2011, Robert Gibbs announced that on Friday the 11^th it would be his official last day as White House spokesman.

Even though Robert Gibbs is stepping down he will still serve as a political adviser to President Obama. He just will no longer serve as the White House spokesman.

Robert Gibb’s replacement has been announced. The new White House spokesman will be Jay Carney. Jay Carney is known for being the communications director to Joe Biden, who is the vice president. Jay Carney’s first day as White House spokesman will begin on Friday.

Colors. There are millions of different colors that can be used. However, when it comes to political symbols chances are there are only three colors being used. These colors include red, white and blue. Political symbols that use the color red are usually those that for the Republican Party, while blue is for liberal or Democratic Party symbols and white is for the third party candidate or an independent party.

Direction. The direction of the symbol can also help you understand what party it is. If the symbol is facing to the left it stands for liberalism and Democratic, while if it faces right it is for conservatism or the Republican party. If a symbol faces the center it stands for a combination of central ideals and liberalism.

Animals. Many political parties use an animal as part of their political symbol. The main political symbol for the Democratic Party is that of a donkey. The donkey is usually blue with a red head and faces the left side. The political symbol for the Republic Party is an elephant which is red and blue and races the right. There is also three white stars in the blue area. The Independent Party usually has a bald eagle that holds a bunch of arrows, there is an American flag behind the eagle and it faces straight forward.

The question was addressed to Mitt Romney this past week as he finished promoting his new book. Mitt Romney was conducting a phone conference with 300 supporters. In it he talked about his paperback book “No Apology”. However, as all things do the conversation quickly turned to whether or not Mitt Romney will run for President of the United States.

While the conference call was not about whether or not Mitt Romney would run for President in 2012 he did answer the question when asked. Mitt Romney announced that he would be giving an official announcement sometime down the road regarding his stance on the issue.

This is a bit of a different take from his stance two weeks ago. When Mitt Romney was asked whether or not he would be throwing his name in the ring for the presidential elections in 2012 he answered very vaguely. He talked about the fact that there were a lot of factors that needed to be considered. He stressed that he was leaving the option open but was unsure whether or not he would run again.

Even though Mitt Romney might not have given a 100% yes to running for president, many people are already encouraging him and offering their support for the 2012 elections. Only time will tell what Mitt Romney decides to do for the 2012 elections.

The Federal Election Commission sets specific limitations on the amount of money that an individual can contribute to an individual candidate and a political party. Every two years the Federal Election Commission will review the limits and increase the amount depending upon the rate of inflation over the years.

On February 4, 2011 the Federal Election Commission announced the new contribution levels. Here is a look at what can now be given to federal campaigns.

An individual person may now give $2,500 to any candidate in an election season. This is an increase of $100. The limit is in place per election and resets at the end of the election. There is also a limit of $2,500 per candidate so a person can ideally give to more than one person in a campaign season.

An individual can also contribute to an official national party. The limit on contributions to the national party is $30,800. This is an increase of $800 from the previous years. The limit is on a per yearly basis.

There is also a limit on how much total can be given in a two year time frame. An individual cannot contribute more than $117,000 in two years to any candidate, national party or campaign.

These rates will be evaluated in 2013 and could be raised based on inflation rates.

The American Reform Party is still running strong many years later. One of the best ways to show your support for the American Reform Party is to join a movement or group that supports that American Reform Party. Here are some ways you can support the party.

Join the American Reform Party. There is an official group known as the American Reform Party that you can join. There will be a small membership fee but that membership fee allows you to view party activities and news on the American Reform Party. Each state has an official office that has information on how to join.

Online Forums. There are many political online forums that are dedicated to the support and advocacy of the American Reform Party. A simple Internet search will draw up any political forums that members can take part in. Online forums are a great way to share opinions, discuss upcoming events and political news. Online forums are also a great way to meet like minded individuals who might be able to help you find local chapters and groups to join.

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The auto industry and the political world have always had a very complicated relationship. Even though the auto industry is responsible for creating thousands of jobs over the years in the United States it is the first place that politicians and the political world looked to place blame when the economy and unemployment start to decline. However, many political experts find it hard to place blame on the auto industry when there is so much going on they can benefit the economy and the country.

Political experts will often cite the fact that the auto industry is single-handedly responsible for creating thousands of jobs all over the United States. The auto industry is responsible for employing people on the assembly line, manufacturing jobs, sales and even the dozens of financing companies that are responsible for helping get potential car owners a car loan. It is believed that without the auto industry there would be thousands of people without a job ranging from the assembly line to financing.

While the auto industry is responsible for creating jobs it is also responsible for stimulating the economy by encouraging people to purchase cars. Auto loans have made it possible for many people to purchase a car when they would normally not be able to afford to. By allowing the loans to become available to people it has allowed the economy to not fall into a stagnant holding pattern. As long as people are purchasing cars there is a section of the population which can keep the economy going. In fact, is the ability to get a car refinance or take advantage of some of the all-time low interest rates that are available that have helped people get cars and keep the auto industry running as it should.

Even though the auto industry is responsible for creating jobs and helping to keep the economy afloat there will always be a rocky relationship between the auto industry and politicians.

The main objective of the Tea Party movement is to try to directly communicate with Washington the complaints that it has against how the government and those in office are spending the tax payer’s money. The Tea Party movement gained massive momentum right after President Obama was elected and many people believe that it was in response to his massive stimulus spending bill or the bank/automotive industry bailouts.

If you are considering joining the Tea Party movement there are a few things that you can do to join up with this quickly forming third political party.

Visit The Tea Party Website. It is a good idea to go over the Tea Party’s statements and core values. All of these are available on the Tea Party’s website, teapartypatriots.org. Before you join up with this political movement you will want to make sure that the majority of their core values and beliefs are similar to yours.

Attend Tea Party Events. There are dozens of Tea Party events on the local and national scale. Tea Party events can range from having a one on one meeting with the political candidates, a political fundraisers or even a political rally. Most Tea Party events are listed on the Tea Party’s website and are available for anyone who wishes to attend the public events.

Vote for Tea Party Candidates. At the moment most candidates are still running under the Republican title but they are really Tea Party candidates. You will want o make sure that you are voting for candidates that have the same philosophy and views as the Tea Party.

The Tea Party movement was put together in the first few months of President Obama’s presidency. There was a lot of backlash regarding the bank bailouts that President Obama ordered as well as backlash for the bailouts for automotive manufacturers. Many people believed that this was a major misspending of the tax payer’s money and that there was no accountability for what Washington was doing with the money that tax payer’s put into the government. As a result the Tea Party was formed.

The Tea Party movement is a political movement of people who wish to put pressure on Washington. They want accountability for the money that is being spent and some of the policies that are being put into place. People that are involved with the Tea Party movement believe that there is little fiscal responsibility going on in Washington and that it is time to make Washington responsible for what they spend.

There are also other beliefs hat the Tea Party movement has. The Tea Party believes that the government should have a constitutionally limited government. In that there is very little involvement from those actually in political office. The Tea Party movement is also a firm believer in the free market of the economy and believes that there should be very little government interference in the market.

At the moment the Tea Party does not believe that it represents either political party. This has caused many people to believe that eventually the Tea Party will branch off and form a third political party.

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A recent study showed that the amount of success a political campaign has can be directly related to the amount of money and funding that political campaign had. This study just shows exactly how important getting campaign contributions are to those that are running for office. However, before you can start gathering any type of political funding from the public it is a good idea to sit down and implement a campaign fund strategy. Here is a look at some items you should consider in your strategy.

Total Cost. Try to sit down and figure out exactly how much the total campaign will cost. You will need to figure in travel expenses, advertising, hiring workers to work on your campaign and even any type of political papers or pamphlets that you might wish to pass out. While you won’t be able to get the exact costs down you will be able to figure out a rough estimate of how much money you will need to run your campaign.

Create Goals. It is important to create financial goals for a political campaign. Political campaign goals allow everyone involved with the campaign process to know exactly what they need to do and how much money they need to raise at a certain point in time. The goals should be based off of your estimate that you got when you figured out how much it will cost to run the campaign.

Create Guidelines for Workers. All workers need to be working on the same page, whether they are in the same state or same room. A political candidate will need to sit down and create a set guideline for the political campaign process. This will include how to approach those wishing to give donations and how to approach those that are just looking for information on candidates. Guidelines will also include the important parts of the candidate’s political platform so volunteers can give the public correct information when looking for donations. These guidelines will make sure that everyone that is working on the campaign is giving the same information out to potential donors and the public.

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The Internet has changed the way a lot of things are done. One of the things that has experienced a change is how political campaigns receive money. Many political candidates turn to the Internet in hopes of receiving a substantial amount of money to help fund the campaign process. Here is a look at how the Internet is being used to raise money for political candidates.

Candidate Websites. Creating a website is the most basic way that the Internet is used for generating political campaign funds. A candidate can create a website that has all the information about their campaign, what they represent and even some background information. Many political candidates have a section on their website asking for political donations. In this section it talks about why donations are important, what the donations will go to and how people can donate. Many candidates even have ways that people can pay directly through the website such as putting in credit card numbers or using paypal.

Campaign Blogs. Sometimes the public does not know exactly who they want to back during a political campaign. A campaign blog is a great way to show people what you stand for and the political campaigning process. Blogs, unlike websites, can be updated daily and allow the public to follow candidates through their process and what they represent. Blogs are also a great way to generate money for your political campaign. As people familiarize themselves with the political candidate they are more likely to contribute to the political campaign.

Email Lists. Almost 95% of the United States population relies upon email as a main form of communication. Many candidates will create a mailing list that allows the public to follow their process. Just like with blogs people will familiarize themselves with the candidate and could potentially help fund the campaign. Email lists are also a great way for candidates to ask for contributions from time to time as many people need to be reminded to donate to political campaigns.

If you are considering running for a political office or just curious the process that goes into getting campaign funds here is a look at some of the steps almost every political candidate goes through to get some funds.

Create Separate Bank Account. Every political campaign will require that you have a separate bank account reserved exclusively for the political funds that you get. A bank account can be started at any bank. Many political campaigners recommend that the name on the bank account be something associated with the campaign such as “Campaign for So and So” or “Campaign for Senate Seat For So and So”. Creating a separate bank account will also help when it comes time for taxes and should you be audited during the political campaigning process.

Get an Accountant. Candidates can sometimes get carried away with the amount of money that they spend on their campaign. It is a good idea to hire an accountant so that you have someone keeping an eye on your political funds. This will prevent you from over spending or using money that you don’t have. It is a good idea to hire an accountant that is familiar with the political campaign process as they will be familiar with the costs and items you will need for the campaign.

Get a Treasurer. Many states require that political campaigns have to file a report showing contributions to the campaign. An accountant or treasurer will be able to do that for you. They are required to keep track of who contributes, how much they give you and what you did with that money. Many political candidates will use their accountant as their treasurer but sometimes they hire someone completely different.

The Global greens congress was founded in the year 2001 in Canberra, Australia in the presence of 800 green activists’ from over 70 countries. Though these delegates from different regions of the world met for a first ever official meeting of the global greens, the vibes from this meeting was known to be such positive that within three days of the foundation, its privileged members embraced the global greens charter gladly & made provision for the global green network & coordination. The global greens have further strengthened their administrative impact ever since through various political movements. This is why, in the global greens charter, it is mentioned that they are an international network of global green parties as well as political movements.

Till date, the global greens have held two congress meetings, the first one in Australia & the second one were held in Sao Paolo, Brazil. They’ve already made committed announcement about the third of global green congress at Senegal in Africa in 2012. Its duration has been resolved to be 29^th of March till the first of April, 2012. The prime agendas of this congress would include:

• Evaluation of the Greens contribution & functioning from the time they set out since Earth Summit in 1992
• Discussing matters of the Climate meet in Durban, South Africa in 2011.

Moreover, the global greens are expected to become more aggressive in their functioning & incorporate more changes in their approach after this congress.

• President’s tax policy: The tax policy adopted by the American administration will result in diverting cash away from the social security funds of the US treasury according to Green party spokespersons. This will in no way compensate to the budget deficit. The Green party workers have further suggested the administration to roll back funds from military budgets which are being spread aimlessly in Iraq & Afghanistan.
• Administration’s Iraq & Afghanistan policies: The Green activists have also raised their voices against the administration’s unethical use of power & lawlessness. They’ve cited issues of unjustified detention of suspects for unusually long periods, detaining of foreign nationals residing in Muslim countries & demanded punishment of related officials who have initiated such actions. But as is expected, the administration has pretended to turn a deaf ear to them. But these surely will find light of the day as support for greens are ascending day by day.
• Removal of nuclear moratorium at senate: This movement has been initiated by Greens of Illinois. According to Green activists, nuclear energy is bad for the civilization & thus the event of removal of nuclear production prohibition bill in senate has been slammed by Greens in Illinois. More so, because of the majority with which it was passed 40-1, this mindset of senators didn’t go down well at all with the Greens principles.

It has several county green arties under its wing including Green party of Maricopa, Sedona & Verde valley, Yavapai County etc. All these county parties have a stipulated date & place where they hold meetings every month to evaluate & discuss party functioning. These county green parties are major contributors of party personnel to the Arizona Green party.

The ARGP also appoints party officers who are responsible for operating its offices around the state. Invitations for the post of candidate in such elections are placed in front of the local mass & the ones aspiring to be a green party worker. Presently, 17 officers are holding posts like co-chair, treasurer, media outreach coordinator, green party delegates & county representatives. But, the party seems to have made a huge impact in Arizona as can be deduced from the latest press release. It reported that since the primary elections were held in 2010, the party has experienced a growth of 500 registered party voters which has aided their aim of attaining permanent ballot status. This report carries further significance as it is said now the Arizona green party has more members than the politically established Democrats in the state of Arizona. This certainly marks the fondness that has been growing among local people for the green activists.

But in recent times, the green association party that has gained ground is the ‘Green party of the United States (GPUS)’. It was founded in the year 2001 from a coalition among the American states green associations known as ‘The Association of State Green Parties’ (ASGP). It can be said that the ideologies of the Green Party is inherited from ‘the Greens/Green party USA’.  But the later wasn’t able to sustain failing to deliver to the necessity of politicizing the green movement for accomplishing the purpose to a bigger extent. This was the core difference in approach of previous Greens/green party & the present Green party in America. The Green party is devoted to offering unbiased, for the people decisions regarding issues like social justice, environmental sustainability, corporate strategies & any other concerning the general mass & the nation as a whole. As the green party activists proudly declare, they’re here to append a touch of ‘direct democracy’ to every phenomenon in the United States that might have an implicit or explicit impact on the society.

The green party is a grassroots activist political party which has been in the administrative tantrum of things since its foundation & currently has 126 democratically elected members supporting its causes in its offices across United States.

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The functioning of the Green party is solely guided by its principles. Here are some of the key principles which guide the operations of Green party of Tennessee:

• Grassroots democracy: The green revolutionaries believe in participatory democracy. Every individual must make their opinion count in a democracy. This is what the green party is here to promote. Further, the greens encourage evolution of more such parties which would place the populace as the sole ruler & make its each representative feel accountable to them for everything.
• Non-violence: Violence should be aborted at all costs. The green party does believe in the ideology of self-defense & to be aware of a potential enemy’s intentions. But abundance of agents of mass destructions like weapons must be eliminated to ensure safe living.
• Ecological understanding: The Green party promotes ecology to maintain awareness among citizens to live with nature, not destroy it for any means. According to them, humans must accommodate themselves accordingly with the natural resources available to them. This will ensure sustainability of resources for future generations.
• Social justice & equal opportunity: This principle of the Greens dictates that all social beings must have equal rights & opportunities on the resources provided by administration. People must learn to confront natural barriers like racism, sexual orientations & ensure they don’t act as barriers to one’s social justice.
• Decentralization: Money & power must never belong to a single institution. This principle rather teaches that society, economy should be so structured that they act more as democratic rather than autocratic.
• Feminist & Gender equity: Male domination must be done away with & all of us must find ways to communication which would respect individual opinion & gender differences.
• Respect for diversity: Diversity in terms of religion, sex, ethnicity etc. must be practiced & people from diversified backgrounds must be put together at workplaces & administrative institutions.

According to green activists, these two parties are opportunity seekers & often deviate from their ideologies. The most common example was the change of perspective on democratic aspects post the civil war in Iraq, Baghdad. They used to stand apart on economic policies prior to the war, but post war they now claim to have taken on different agendas to survive involving their role, social base & ideologies. The US administration wasn’t even able to arrest the Supreme Court’s decision on lifting the upper margin on corporate spending in election campaigns.

In such a muddled administrative ambience, the ever suffering vagabond citizens have started raising their voices & making their opinions count through institutions like the Green party. Their trust on the green activists would have been further affirmed by the real solutions which were addressed before the administration by them. Recently, the green party suggested that the administration should work on generating jobs from alternate energy strategy, public transport expansion & retrofitting of building projects. This certainly would generate fresh funds & thus arrest economic downturn to an extent. Thus, it can very well be concluded that the green party is here to make an impact, an impact that would not only be beneficial to society but civilization as a whole.

The Green party of Tennessee has shifted their focus towards latest social issues like the recession, Iraq war consequences as their political agenda to squeeze the republican administration politically. The present issues that have been shortlisted by the part’s national committees are based on:

• Mockery of constitutional powers that’s been going on over last decade in United states
• Obama administration’s backstabbing tax policy
• Ongoing useless military spending in Afghanistan & Iran
• Politicizing the matter of finding solutions for budget deficits on the part of both Republicans & democrats
• Forcing the administration to repulse the age old democrat healthcare bill
• Stopping comprehensive corporate indulgence in democracy matters

Reasons for taking up these issues:

The Green party has jotted down several democracy threatening acts of the Democratic administration like dissent of habeas corpus, prosecution of whistle blowers, detention of individuals for indefinite periods without proper evidential objects & protested against the same by a green representative of Miami-Dade region. The issue that has gained much attention of green activists is the backstabbing tax slashing strategies of Obama administration. It’s decision to extend Social security exemption policy will further affect the declining condition of United states treasury since Social security taxes has been the forerunner in terms of compensating other finance retrieving sectors of the US government. In the matter of healthcare bill, the green activists have demanded the abolition of it & instead ensure Medicare protection for citizens.

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How can anyone look at the state of the healthcare industry in the United States of America today and think we do not need some type of health reform? Politics aside, the health care system in this country is in crisis and this country’s leaders must step up and acknowledge the old way of doing things is inefficient, unsustainable and dangerous.

During the vitriolic debate over health care reform that gripped this nation recently, many of those against health reform repeatedly stated that America has the best health care system in the world. But the numbers tell a very different story. In fact, according to the World Health Organization America ranks not first among the countries of the world, but 37th. Yes, 37th – below Costa Rica and a little above Cuba.

Americans pay more per individual for their health care than people in any other country, but get substantially less in return. America’s infant mortality rate is the second worst in the modern world, in large part due to the lack of prenatal care and pediatric care for people with limited health insurance and low incomes. Health care-related debt is by far the number one cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. Only in America can you be saved from cancer and lose your home to the bankruptcy court because you can’t afford to pay for the treatments that saved your life.

America is undeniably the greatest country in the world. But there are huge problems facing us now and looming on the horizon – problems that must be addressed. Access to good, affordable health care is a right, not a privilege for the few who can afford it. This country is facing an epidemic of obesity, diabetes and an aging population, which will put an even greater burden on the health care system and America’s wallet. Now is the time to address this issue with solid, thoughtful health care reform.

A group of over 100 scientists recently put together a report indicating that California is at risk from what they call a “superstorm” that could flood 25 percent of the state’s houses. They estimate that damage from this monster storm could total $400 billion.

While it may sound outrageous, the scientists say such a storm is more than possible – it has happened many times in California’s history. In fact, they say storms of this magnitude happen every 200 years of so in California, the most recent in 1861-1862. During that storm, California’s Central Valley flooded for 300 miles. The flooding was so severe that the state capital was moved to San Francisco.

The risk of a superstorm is ramping up now because of climate change. Increasing temperatures in the earth’s atmosphere have made weather patterns across the world much more unpredictable. Just look at the recent flooding in Pakistan, the droughts and extreme heat in Russia, unusual snow in Britain and the active Atlantic hurricane season to see evidence of this phenomenon in action.

The scientists who developed the report created a weather model that indicated such a superstorm could last more than a month. Up to 10 feet of rain could fall, and winds could howl at 125 miles per hour. They wrote that the amount of water would be equal to 50 Mississippi Rivers emptying into the Gulf of Mexico at once.

Now is the time for governments around the world to take action to halt climate change. We can only hope it is not too late for California.

1. They unify people. We are in the midst of a time and place where emphasis is placed on individuality and many may just stick to themselves.  Third parties can bring people together for a common cause. Not only do they rally people behind a common cause, they typically are coming together for a common good. It is not typically to be the downfall of another, but to bring up to the fore front the idea’s that other groups are not focusing on.

2.They stick to ideals. The Green Party is one party who provides real solutions to real problems. They don’t attack issues that are not doable.  They’re not into gimmicks and unrealistic goals. One great example is their stance on not taking money for corporate donors. In their fight against the big corporations who oppose reform, they have made this stance and stick to it.

3. They are made up of real people. Many times those in place to lead these parties are not from a long lineage of politics. These are people who have made themselves and are passionate about these ideas.  They are people who others feel they can back.  Many in these parties do not necessarily feel they fit the status quo, but yet they still have a voice.  Third party political parties provide a home for all who wish to participate in our great nations political system.

For a lot of people, what they experience is what they know. That is to say those individuals, rightly or wrongly, take information they receive and run it through a filter built of their own experiences. If someone has never experienced one of the hottest years on record, or survived an extreme weather event, he or she is much less likely to think climate change is real. They don’t believe it because they haven’t seen it.

People, Americans in particular, strongly dislike being told what to do. For years they have heard the dire predictions of scientists and scholars, and listened to all the steps they would have to take in their own lives to slow or stop climate change. But those steps would include drastic changes to their lifestyles. People prefer to make such changes because they want to, not because a climate expert is telling them they have to.

The economy also plays a part here. The past several years have been very difficult financially. America is in the worst recession since the 1920s, and trying very hard to claw its way out. But for the economy to improve, it takes industry, jobs and flowing money. People fear environmental restrictions on industry will curb economic growth. Basically, it’s a lot easier to get people to care about the environment when they have a little extra money it their pockets.

So what is the solution? Climate change is very real – but those with the power to share the message need to retool. They must prove to people why climate change matters to them as individuals. That is the key.

Many people just don’t see the purpose in purchasing a newspaper subscription. Some claim it’s not worth the money, since almost all news can be found online or on television, but the truth is that many people are just not as interested in current events. Even knowing about things that are happening right in their own community is not appealing to many who claim to find the news depressing or simply not very interesting. This is a problem, however, because being aware of events can help keep others safe and protected from danger, avoid traffic problems due to accidents or extreme weather, or find ways to help out the less fortunate in their own communities.

Encouraging people to get more involved in local events as well as events happening around the globe can help our population to become more caring and empathetic toward others. In order to increase news consumption, newspapers must take steps to make it easier for the public to receive a newspaper. For those who prefer not to receive a hard copy, online subscriptions could be offered for free, and as a mobile application with daily updates so that users wouldn’t have to look too far for breaking news.

Also, many do not have a chance to view the daily news, since it is often aired at hours when some are still hard at work. The evening news can be on right at bedtime, when parents are trying to get kids into bed and unwind themselves. Offering news re-broadcasts at a more ideal time of day, such in the morning, might help these individuals to be able to take in the daily events. These steps will certainly help to increase how many people are able to learn about the local and worldwide events, and in turn, can help them feel more cultured and at ease in social situations where these issues may be discussed.

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It may not surprise you to learn that the Green Party takes its name from the common use of the word “green” to indicate things that are good for the environment. Members of the party believe in sustainable farming and business, and laws that protect the environment. Party members support the search for and use of alternative fuels sources; and encourage individuals and businesses to live in and produce goods in ways that cause no further harm to the planet.

You may be surprised, however, to learn that these same people support the development of universal healthcare. The Green Party platform says that access to healthcare is a right, not a privilege that should be reserved for the few who can comfortably afford it. An overwhelming number of workers in the United States simply can’t, based on the wages they earn, which leads us to another pillar of Green Party beliefs.

The party strongly feels that workers in this country should be paid a living wage. The minimum wage, decided upon by the government, is not enough to survive on, which leads many people who work full time to live in poverty. These same people then must fall back on government assistance programs to provide their families with food, medicine and more. In another effort to even the playing field for workers in the U.S., the Green Party supports higher taxes for the wealthy.

Some think the belief system of the Green Party is too far to the left, using phrases such as “bleeding heart liberals” to define the party’s members. But at its core, the party supports the Constitution of the United States and the rights and freedoms of United States citizens. It is possible, however, to support these ideals and still recognize that our government and our society have plenty of room for improvement.

Political issues are changing constantly, everyday. Change can be good thing if done the right way. Political views change with what political party you are with, which are democrat, republican, independent and other s. Some of the bigger political issues are Gay marriage and right, education, and unemployment rates. But even though America is at war the top issue of today is gay marriage and what rights they should have. There are other things that we should be more worried about like starving children and the economy .Some people would say that the economy is getting better due to the Recovery Act that was signed 18 months ago by congress. Last year the Recovery Act has boosted the employment rate from 2.5 million jobs to 3.6 million. Most people have full-time jobs with a part-time job just to help with their financial situations, or they have 2 part- time jobs just to make a full-time job. The economy still need to get better as we all know and just one person can’t make that all happen overnight. The unemployment rate edged up to 9.8 percent in November. The major worker group in the unemployment rates would be adult men, second is adult women. The number of jobs lost and people completing temporary jobs rose by 390,000 to 9.5 million in November. The health care field is the only job force that continually brings new jobs each month, most in hospital settings. Another field is mining continue to increased also and the support of these activities for mining added 6,000 jobs in November of 2010, and added 74,000 since October of 2009. America hasn’t seen low number like this since the 1940′s. With this recession just take a few steps to lessen the burden on yourself and hopefully everything will work out on its own.

Society has a number of social groups. Social groups can be formed when 2 or more people are in the same area and are aware of the other people. Social groups include what they call a transitory group, which is when a lot of people meet in an area that don’t know each other and there doing the exact same thing. Examples of this group would be getting into an elevator, crossing the same street, or meeting in the same line at the grocery store. Now we move into another group called the recurrent group. A recurrent groups are people who meet on a regular basis and possibly meet for a reason. Examples of the group would be a sports team, family reunion/holiday or AA meeting. Next is the Formal group, a formal group usually means it has rules and regulations, schedules and assigned members ( secretary, treasurer) and sometimes a paying membership. This group includes grouping of friends, a family, or people you wait for the bus with. With any one of these social groupings come with an in-group and out-groups. He in-group means you feel like an emotional attachment to the other members of the group. An out-group is basically what its says you’re an outcast and you don’t belong in the group and you feel hatred toward this group. An example of and in-group is a clique at school. An example of an out group would be rival teams/fans and rival gangs. With the in and out group comes a reference group. Reference groups are people that for there own opinions or judge there own behavior against reference groups. This group also uses standards that self evaluate. Examples of this group would be people that go to a specific church in which they evaluate themselves by there denomination and feel good about sticking those standards.

The rise in women in politics is getting bigger and bigger, but way back in the day it was a struggle for women to even vote let alone run for a public political office. Women have had the right to vote since the 1920′s and women throughout history have had fewer legal rights and career opportunities than men. At that time wifehood and motherhood were the women’s profession, then in the 1920′s won the right to vote. This then gave women more chances at education or career option. Before the right to vote was an option for women, women were considered the weaker of the 2 sexes. Women were thought to be unable to perform any of the men’s work like Plowing, hunting and heavy machinery jobs, which meant that all the domestic chores were left to the women. In 1917 Jeanette Rankin was the first elected into the U.S House of Representatives. It wasn’t until 1984 that a woman was chosen to run as vice President her name was Geraldine Ferraro from NY. In 1981 Ronald Reagan appointed the first woman into the supreme court, Sandra Day O’Connor was the first ever woman to be on the Supreme Court. Nowadays you turn on the news, read a newspaper and there are women throughout politics, such as Nancy Pelosi, Hilary Rodham Clinton, and Sarah Palin. Nancy Pelosi is the leader of the U.S House of Representatives. Sarah Palin was the governor of Alaska, and Hilary Rodham Clinton is Secretary of state. 2007 was a big year for the women of politics, in the senate 16 out of 100 were women, the house of representative 73 out of 435 were women and governor were 9 out of 50. As of April of 2009 out of 250 countries only a few were run by women, actually 14 out of 250.

Most obesity issues stem from childhood, some people say that if you’re an overweight kid that you will probably be an overweight adult. Obesity is society is partially due to commercialism, partially due to not being able to say no and other could be medical issue, which keeps you from losing weight. This is above and beyond the control of the person having the weight issue. It also doesn’t help that school lunch program do not offer the proper dietary needs for kids. Obesity and overweight worldwide is now at 1.7 million people. Being overweight doesn’t come free; it comes with a lot of health risks. Some of the health risks involved are diabetes (type2), heart disease, stroke, cancer, Fatty liver disease, breathing difficulties and death. Type 2 diabetes is the number 1 problem in overweight or obese men and women this disease can kill you or make you extremely sick. If you are 11 to 18 pounds overweight it can cause you to get diabetes, 80% of the overweight people have this problem. Researchers have proven that 112,000 people have died from obesity in America. It doesn’t help that society today is filled with people that only care about what you look like or what they look like, such messages make overweight people really feel unattractive. Obesity numbers are still on the rise, children between the ages of 6 and 11 the obesity number have doubled since the 1980′s. Overweight and obesity tend to run in family but there is nothing in the medical researches that make the true. Children usually want to be like their parent; in that case you should try to show them that they should eat right and exercise. If children are shown the right way they will want to do it, thus making a healthy world for all.

So what was a bridal company doing as the exclusive men’s jewelry designer?  Well it seems that this company is mislabeled as a bridal designer business.  While this is still one of their main components, they also want people to start seeing them as a lifestyle brand and not just a fashion company.  So what could be behind this upswing in popularity with the men’s line of fashion?  It is strange because of the economic downturn.  But it seems that men want stylish accessories.  Their craving for cufflinks has not gone down like many people’s bank accounts.  But it also might be a case of the vast amount of information and choice on the Internet these days.  There are many specialty stores that carry designers like Scott Kay both online and offline and men are starting to take notice.  So what does all of this tell us?  If you are looking for a gift for that special man in your life, do not discount jewelry as an accessory and gift.

Some of the most popular topics in politics are illegal immigration, war, terrorism, and healthcare. We all know what this war is about, it’s been going on since President Bush was in office and has continued into the Obama Administration. This war has killed many soldiers, terrorists, and other people innocent or not so innocent. It has also has cost people a lot of money and taking away more important things from people. Whatever happened to Obama stopping the war, did he forget?? Other hot topic in politics is healthcare. The united states spend twice as much on health care than any other country. So every dollar sent out of $5 of an American wages is on health care, they expect to spend 4.2 trillion dollars in 2016. The united state is also ranked last in preventable deaths among all nations, because people cannot afford health insurance. With the health care problem also came with the prescription drug costs that since the 1990′s have become better. But in the 1990′s certain drugs were not covered by some insurance companies, so that meant that people had to pay out of pocket which sometimes was very expensive. Were in a recession as we speak, so it’s hard for some people to afford healthcare and prescription costs. The number of uninsured has risen to 50.7 million people, people that are uninsured probably can’t get that great of medical care, which then mean that without proper treatment they could become sick or even die. Healthcare reform has been on the top of the headline for just over a year; the bill has been signed and sent into law. Now America has to wait and find out how this will affect them and when? Hopefully law maker don’t take too long to get this issue settled.

Too often, we get busy with our jobs, kids, and tasks. We blog, send email, and point and click. We forward generic holiday messages other people write to people we barely see. With so much daily stress and so many people to please, we forget to make time to add that personal touch to our season’s greetings.

Writing notes is a vanishing art. Now, more than any other time, our words on a blank page can be a real treasure to the recipient. Remember the first time you got a love note from a boy in your class? He folded it into an airplane, aimed high, and hit you in the head. Chances are, it got him in trouble with the teacher. Nevertheless, it remains a tender memory in your heart. These days, love notes have given over to text messages. You can’t make a cell phone into an airplane. I guess you can throw it at a girl to get her attention, but more likely, detention is what you’ll get.

Thank you notes are almost a thing of the past. Kids rip through birthday and Christmas packages, scarcely aware of who the giver is. Etiquette is something we hand down to kids. If we don’t teach it, how will they know? One smart mom I know made a rule with her kids: “Before you play with that new toy or wear that sweater, sit down and write a thank you note.” At first, they whined and complained, but she made it a fun activity. She gave them crayons, markers, glitter and glue. Now, they look forward to addressing the envelopes, and helping mom research long lost relatives on Canada 411. Occasionally, mom slips up, and the kids are quick to call her on it, reminding her that expressing gratitude is not only important, it’s a joyful opportunity and never a chore.

It’s amazing how things change over time. As the United States has grown so has its diversity. From different skin tones, to accents, to cultures and yes religion. The United States first formed over differences in religion. It then adapted in its Constitution the freedom of religion giving citizens the right to worship whichever faith they follow. Catholic, Christian Hinduism, Buddhism, and any other you can think of are all religions that anyone can follow; it”s all about the person who wants religion to be a part of their life. The Pilgrims came to America to get away from Roman Catholic to practice Protestant or Puritan. The pilgrims met the indigenous people also known as Native Americans, who practiced something completely different. As more and more people migrated to America even more religions entered. Everyone has the right t their own religion, Though many think their religion is the only right one there are still many to choose from because we as Americans have that right. Not only does religion encourage civilized, friendly behavior among followers and other. Religion is also great to help people strive to be better. Have you ever notice how really pleasant religious people are to each other and other people, there always willing to help. Some say that religion to some gives them a sense of balance and harmony, and their life runs just a bit smoother. Society is made up of people and the characteristics of a society formed by what people believe in and there way of life, religion plays an important role in the aspect. We also have to take into consideration that religion is not important to everyone and like everything else, it the person themselves that choose whether or not they want religion in their life not someone else”s choice.

Many people are biased as to how others should live whereas the Constitution gives us the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness period. If we allow one group to be singled out then we open the doors to others having prejudices against them as well. Lots of people don’t care what other do, when it comes to the don’t ask don’t tell law. What goes on behind closed doors in someone’s life is no one else’s business, we life our lives the way we want too not the way people tell us too. The Constitution gives us there rights; soldiers die so we can keep these rights. If gays are in the military willing to die for our rights shouldn’t we give them the respect of letting them have theirs? The don’t ask don’t tell policy began in 1993, it basically mean that if you are gay or lesbian the military cannot discharge you for that reason, and you cannot talk about your personal life either. In this day and age gay and lesbians are still frowned upon and basically discriminated against. Literally, we are telling men and women who want nothing but to serve this country and die for this country that they can’t based on who they love, Gay men and women are currently permitted to serve their country and die for their country. Honestly is it any different if someone that was black wanted to serve in the military, why does their sexual orientation even have to matter. This policy is meant for gay and lesbian to be quiet about who the love and when you’re in love you want to let everyone know , if it be men in men relationships women and women relationship, or men and women relationship. When soldiers go to war, what do they talk about in their free time, that’s right, their families.

I don’t normally get too involved in politics. Most of the time I can see the merits of both sides. I guess I’m not too liberal or too conservative. I fit somewhere right in the middle. Watching the recent lame duck Congress tread water, however, really has me steamed. Here we sit in a recession and they have the gall to create gridlock.

One of the most infuriating subjects is the Bush tax cuts. I think it’s great that the Democrats want to extend them for people earning under $250,000 a year. That means that people like you and me can save a little bit of money during a time when we need it most. Even if the tax cuts weren’t extended, though, I would still see them for what they were: expired tax cuts. And yet, Republicans continue to tell us that the President wants to raise taxes. It’s not really a tax hike. It’s an expiration of tax cuts. There’s a big difference, and those people know it.

See, this is one of the reasons that I have to keep my mouth shut when it comes to politics. As far as I can tell, the current system consistently prevents itself from making real headway that would fix our economy and turn the country around. The people that we vote into office, though, don’t think about those things. They think about how they can get re-elected. While people like us keep looking to find tax tips in order to save some money on our earnings, savings and investments. I wish that these Tea Party Republicans would try to fix things, but that’s unlikely seeing as how none of them believe that a federal government even can work.

There is little that the individual can do except try to make a good life for her family. At least I have the knowledge that I’m leading a good life instead of spreading lies and causing more problems.

Science has come up with a new way to clean up pollution from air we breathe and that is definitely a dose of good news for everyone. More importantly, such a development can only be good news for our planet.

The aerospace industry is working on a new technology that would use rocket nozzles as a means to pull carbon from exhaust emitted by coal burning power plants. A rocket nozzle would use aerodynamic force to separate carbon from the exhaust spewed from power plants before it is released into the atmosphere.

This is a welcome technology because carbon dioxide is one of the most common greenhouse gases. As a greenhouse gas, it works to trap heat in the atmosphere. Buildup of carbon dioxide has helped contribute massively to the global warming affecting our entire planet. As it stands now, approximately 36 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States come directly from power plants.

While the ideal is to find natural means of power generation, such as wind power or solar power, any step toward making coal burning cleaner than it is now should be applauded. We should support any environmentally friendly measure, no matter how small, as we work toward a more permanent solution.

Still, the thought of cleaner coal burning should not take our eyes off the ultimate prize of shifting toward alternative energies. A true Green Party follower wants nothing more than to protect the natural environment around us to the utmost degree. More money and resources should be devoted to developing technologies that will make the widespread application of both solar and wind power affordable and practical.

If we, as a society, convert fully to solar and wind power, we will eliminate our dependence on oil and eliminate a major source of global conflict. It will not only create a better future for us and our nation, but it will also create a better society for generations to come.

Third parties in American politics have rarely enjoyed much more than marginal success before being relegated to the pages of history. Part of the reason is the winner takes all voting system that the United States uses. Compared to the parliamentary system used by most European democracies, the United States places a heavy burden on third parties to not only compete with established parties but to win elections. To put this into a historical perspective the National Socialist Party in Germany won only a little more than a third of the vote in elections. This was enough to put the Nazis into power. In the United States, it is difficult to imagine a third party ever gaining power.

The example of the Nazis shows that an entrenched two-party system can help to prevent radicals from gaining power. The counter to that argument is that a system that forces so much compromise that there are only two camps puts a limitation of fresh ideas. In modern American politics, the Democrats and the Republicans are both supported by the same business interests. Campaign donations flood into to both parties often from the same donors.

Even President Barack Obama, who ran on a format of “change” accepted a record amount of money from Wall street interests prior to his election in 2008. Obama took in a record amount of donations from small donors on the Internet, but he did even this amount could not stop him from accepting huge donations from established business interests.

The example of Obama shows part of the difficulty for a third party in getting established in the present American system. Even if a party such as the Green Party were to raise a huge amount of campaign funds from grass roots donations, the established parties have access to almost unlimited campaign funding from businesses.

In elections were the victors are often determined by dollars spent on advertising, third parties face steep odds.

Are new political parties damaging to the American political process? The question is difficult because of the nuanced nature of political action. There is no scientific cause and effect in politics. Still some political observers accuse third parties of playing spoiler in political elections.

Perhaps the most famous example occurred during the controversial 2000 Presidential election. Al Gore lost to George W. Bush despite earning more popular votes. Bush took the electoral vote after winning a Supreme Court cause that prevented a recount in Florida. The election raised many questions on how American elections are run and monitored. Many in the Democratic Party are still bitter over the Supreme Court decision to stop the Florida recount and blame the decision on political affiliation rather than a sound legal opinion.

All of the debate over the election might have been avoided if not for the decision of Ralph Nader to run. Nader was the Green Party nominee for President in 2000, and he earned enough voted that many argued his placement on the ballot was the difference between President Bush or President Gore. While the claim has never been decisively proven, exit polling in both Florida and New Hampshire make it appear as though Nader took votes away from Gore. Nader contended that Gore was responsible for his own loss. The famed consumer advocate maintained that there was little difference between Bush or Gore.

When Bush went up for re-election, liberal film maker Michael Moore and comedian Bill Maher begged Nader not to run. Nader ran, and Bush won again.

Even if Nader took some votes away from Democrats, third party candidates bring value to elections by providing new ideas and generating greater voter turn out. One of the reasons it is difficult to know if Nader cost Democrats the White House in 2000 is because it is impossible to know if voters would have gone to the polls without the option of voting “Green”.

Breaking the strangle hold of the two party system has proven to be difficult for American political parties. The Democrats and the Republican have dominated the American political system since the end of the Civil War in 1865. While many political parties have made attempts to challenge the power structure, few have been able to make a dent.

One feature of successful third parties has been a dominate personality that achieved success or fame prior to joining with a third party. Former President Theodore Roosevelt challenged his chosen successor sitting-President William Taft. Taft and Roosevelt broke over progressive versus conservative practices in the Republican Party. When Roosevelt was unable to gain the Republican nomination in 1912, he founded his own party, the “Bull Moose Party” and bested Taft in the general election. While Roosevelt might have earned more votes than his Republican rival the action opened the door for Democrat Woodrow Wilson to gain the White House.

The election remains significant because it was one of the few times that the Democrats were able to gain the White House in that era. It is also important because it was the last time that a third party candidate finished as high as second in a Presidential election. That it took a previously popular President get that close shows the difficulty that third parties face when trying to break through to a major political victory.

There have been other attempts by third party candidates to break stranglehold of the Democrats and the Republicans. One of the most prominent was the campaign of former Alabama Governor George Wallace in 1968. Wallace had been made famous by his resistance to segregation in the South. His campaign capitalized on the resentment many Americans had to changing times. Wallace was able to make a significant showing in the South, but his campaign wilted once he ventured the general election. Like Roosevelt, Wallace’s party was little more than one dynamic politician.

The Presidential campaign for former Alabama Governor and segregation champion George Wallace seemed to be off to an even better start in 1972 than his historic 1968 third party attempt. The one time firebrand appealed to reactionary voters who wanted to reinstate Jim Crow Laws. While Wallace still won the adoration of many for his previously staunch defense of segregation, this was a different version. Wallace turned his back on previous stances and attempted to make him more marketable to middle of the pack voters. The change seemed to be working, but not every voter liked this newer version of Wallace.

Political assassination marred the 1960s as John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert were killed by gunman. Wallace who has been portrayed as an evil protector of racism feel victim to the ugliness of political violence. An assassination attempt ended his campaign and left him paralyzed. American politics continued to be marred by violence and a third party candidate for President fell.

The story of George Wallace is not widely discussed in the modern media. His earlier stance for segregation is replayed often, but his later martyrdom as the victim of political violence is often forgotten. Wallace is a tragic figure in American history for many reasons. Within his lifetime he renounced his earlier stance on segregation, a stance that millions of other white Americans held, and his decision to go against his earlier statements were enough to make Wallace face great criticism in the South.

Wallace was never a major political force after the assassination attempt. Concerns for his health plagued his political pursuits. Where the press had protected Franklin Roosevelt a generation earlier, the discussion surrounding Wallace proved that American voters were not ready to accept a paralyzed President. The American Independent Party died with Wallace’s political career.

Wallace later apologized to black leaders for his stance on segregation, but few things could trump the footage of his “segregation forever” speech.

Are you ready to put your money into an investment that will actually give you a return instead of a loss? If you are tired of losing money in the stock market, then it’s time to invest in real estate. Even in today’s tough economic climate, real estate is still a very safe investment. One of the best places to invest in real estate is New York City. Take a look at some of the advantages of investing in the Big Apple.

1. Job opportunities. There are always plenty of job opportunities in New York City. From theater to banking jobs, there are many opportunities for people to use their talents to support their families. It’s the American Dream to come to New York City. It’s always been that way and it continues to be the place where people come to live their dreams.

2. Beautiful luxury condos. New York City has some of the most gorgeous condos, homes, and apartments in the world. You can invest in New York luxury condos for a future investment or for a second home. You’ll love the style and the beauty that you find in a luxury condo.

3. Proximity to fun events. When you are in New York City, there’s never a lack of things to do. People flock to the city to go to a Broadway play, to see the Statue of Liberty, to shop on 5th Avenue, and relax in Central Park. No matter where you are at in the Big Apple, you’re never far from something fun to do.

If you are ready to take a leap into real estate investing, then you definitely need to consider New York City. Here you’ll find ample opportunities and plenty of people interesting in your fine real estate deal.

Pundits will often use hyperbole when describing present political conditions. Even though recent political partisanship has caused a record amount of instances of filibusters on the floor of the U.S. Congress, the use of procedure marks an upgrade in discourse compared to some previous forms of self-expression. Observers who fret that the political system is more divided than ever are easily disproved by reviewing American history.

Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton are the faces behind the first great political parties dispute in American history. Hamilton, the former Secretary of the Treasury, was a staunch Federalist, which put him at odds with the Democratic-Republican Party member Burr. Burr had been Vice President during Thomas Jefferson’s first term. In part due to outspoken critiques from Hamilton, Jefferson decided to drop Burr from his re-election ticket. Burr attempted to run for Governor of New York. Hamilton again vigorously campaigned against Burr, which helped to keep Burr out of office and caused further bad blood between the two men.

Burr and Hamilton were not satisfied with letting the voters decide their dispute. The pair ignored the laws of the nation that they helped to build and agreed to a duel. Burr fired and mortally wounded Hamilton. While Burr might have maintained his “honor” the duel ended his political career. He avoided prosecution for the murder of Hamilton, but he was later implicated in a plot to create a separate nation. Burr was acquitted by the Supreme Court trail that was overseen by Chief Justice John Marshall. Despite pressure from contemporaries including Jefferson, Marshall did not convict Burr on charges of treason.

The duel between Burr and Hamilton was not the last instance of violence emerging as the result of political debate or a personal rivalry that developed due to political differences. Even during the most heated political debates in modern times, the hyperbole that politics has never been worst is offensive to the honor of Aaron Burr.

When the real estate industry tanked, investors in areas such as Florida and Southern California lost millions of dollars within a short period of time. Suddenly it became obvious that they had been living inside a bubble that convinced them housing prices were much higher than they should have been. Within a couple weeks that $1,000,000 home dropped to a much more affordable $300,000.

Stories like this are terrible news to those who lost money. To others, though, these stories represent opportunities to get involved in a business that had once barred them. Once the prices fell, more people found that they could afford homes that were previously out of their price range.

Obviously, those who lost millions are a little shy when it comes to real estate. They don’t want to lose any more, so they stay away. People living in cities that were unaffected by the bubble, though, often find that they now have the chance to start buying real estate in areas that they thought could only attract wealthy families.

This means that people living in New Jersey apartments, Ohio suburbs and rural Virginia didn’t lose as much money as people living in San Diego and Miami. That’s a radical shift that few people anticipated. If you find that you now have enough money to purchase real estate, then you will need to spot trends that will help you identify the most profitable areas.

When choosing what properties to purchase, remember the lessons taught by the housing crises. If a property seems overpriced, then it probably is. Never believe that artificial can make you wealthy for long. Eventually, investors will wake up and start wondering whether homes and commercial real estate are really worth their price tags. That’s a bad time to be caught owning property with an artificially inflated price.

Many people give little attention to their personal finances. Because they lack basic money management skills, most Americans find themselves deep in debt. Fortunately, there are resources like www.totalbankruptcy.com where they can get guidance. For those who aren’t yet in dire straights with their finances, there are some ways to reduce monthly expenditures through recycling and reusing, strategies promoted by the Green Party. This will free up money so you can begin paying off those credit cards.

There are many ways to reuse items you already own instead of buying new products. For example, instead of buying that fancy little roll of plastic bags to hold your baby’s dirty diapers, save plastic bags from the grocery store and use those for diaper disposal. Save padded envelopes that come in the mail. You can simply cover up the old label with a homemade one and use it the next time you need to mail something. Instead of tossing “disposable” plastic storage containers and flatware, wash them and reuse them until they are worn out. Forget about buying special fabric to clean your car. Cut up old towels and put them to good use. Use old magazines or newspapers to wrap gifts. Transform brown paper bags into coloring surfaces for the kids.

By simply collecting aluminum cans and glass bottles, you can make some pocket change when you turn them in for recycling. Find out what other materials your local recycling center will offer money and begin collecting those items too.
Don’t overlook the value of giving new life to things other people are ready to trash. A can of paint or varnish can revive an old piece of furniture. Free clothing that’s in good condition can save you from spending tons of money on children’s outfits. Used toys promise plenty of fun to children who have never played with them.

When pundits declare that modern politicians are trampling on the Constitution the declaration might be more of plea for attention than a statement based on fact. The United States was founded based on a code of laws that applied to the era. While an element exists to elevate the Constitution to the status of a sacred cow, the document was created by humans and is flawed despite its brilliance.

The Founding Fathers would not have recognized the nation they created 100 years after its birth let alone the modern United States. Technology has caused such an inconceivable shift in the way that humans live that laws created by those who grew up in the 18th Century could not possibly be the sole basis for governance in modern times.

Despite the understanding that change is inevitable, the Constitution has become a political issue lately. The debate centers on whether the Constitution is a living document or if it is open to interpretation. The debate between strict constructionists or those with a more liberal view of the Constitution became part of the media horse race between Republicans and Democrats. While the debate might create a strong narrative the argument is more about political stance than actual concerns with governance.

How could people that saw the horse and wind powered sails as the ultimate forms of transportation conceive of a world with instantaneous communication around the world? One of the most important aspects of the original draft of the Constitution was the power granted to Congress to declare war. All the combined fire power in the history of the world up to the lives of the Founding Fathers is dwarfed by the destructive power of a singular nuclear warhead.

As a result of this change in technology the president has the power to declare war almost at will. Congress has not declared war since World War II. With their own lives at risk political leanings ebb.

Understanding politics in modern times is nearly impossible because of the complexities of the system. Perhaps the most difficult concept to grasp is the relative lack of power that most politicians have.

Few races get more exposure than the race for seats in the U.S. Senate. With only two senators per state, a senator holds what appears to be considerable political power to make policy. Yet even the most tenured senator holds only one percent of the vote on a particular bill. This percent is reduced to even less influence because the senate alone does not make laws. Any senate vote must also pass through the U.S. House of Representatives. Any bill that miraculously makes it though the entire U.S. Congress must then be signed into law by the president.

Even then the power of a senator to make substantial change is checked by legal review. The U.S. Supreme Court can overturn laws that violate the U.S. Constitution. While this does not happen often a precedent was established first in the landmark case of Marbury v. Madison, and in the famous instance of the Supreme Court overturning aspects of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal.

Given this level of difficulty in establishing a voice as a senator, it is difficult to understand the level of scrutiny placed on the voting record of senators. Democracy was designed to limit the power of individuals and to slow down the process of taking action. While this aspect might have been for the best in an era of tyrants and kings that ruled according to “divine right” the ability of any single individual to enact major change in a democracy has been negated by design.

This does not mean that individuals have not enjoyed immense power that circumvented the system of checks and balances.  But these instances are rare and marked by crisis. Critics that say Congress does nothing should know, that is what the Founding Fathers wanted.

In today’s economic climate, there’s really no one sure bet when it comes to investing. You work hard for your money, so you don’t want to just throw it away on any investment that may or may not make you money. In order to get the most return for your buck, you need to invest in real estate. Real estate is still the safest investment around. Real estate continues to earn many investors money, unlike the stock market which is up and down on a daily basis. You can safely invest your money in real estate if you are looking for a long-term return. Let’s look at some of the best places to invest your hard earned money.

1. New York City. New York is always a great place to invest in real estate. The exciting night life, job opportunities, and the pure energy in the city makes New York a place where people flock. Invest in New York condos to make a little bit of extra cash. Plus, you’ll always have a place to stay when you visit the Big Apple if you have a condo or two here.

2. Florida. It might seem contradictory considering the amount of foreclosures in Florida right now, but this is still a great place to invest. You can buy houses and condos for super cheap. Plus, the temperate climate will always attract visitors. Even if you just rent your place for a few years, you’ll still be making money in Florida.

3. The mid-West. While it’s not as exciting as New York or Florida, the mid-West is a great place to invest in real estate. People are emerging on cities like Omaha for good jobs, cheap real estate, and good family values.

If you want to make a return on your money, forget the stock market. You need to invest your precious cash in real estate.

When absurdity becomes reality does it mean that the American political system is broken? Many social scientists are asking this question after the myriad of rallies at Washington D.C. that many view as parody.

The events started when controversial Fox News political pundit Glenn Beck announced a rally to “Restore Honor” on the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech. Beck is known for his outrageous theories, emotional outbursts and anti-Barack Obama fervor. His contention that Obama, who is half-Caucasian, “hated” white people made Beck a curious choice as the master of ceremonies for a rally that supposedly honored the legacy of Dr. King.

Beck had a strange background to be labeled the leader of any movement. He rose to fame as a radio “shock-jock” and switched to rightwing punditry later in his career. The professed recovering alcoholic and convert to the Church of Latter-Day Saints has led a career of apparent contradiction except to the concept of his own self promotion. Given Beck’s controversial status it is not surprising that so many people dismissed his rally as parody, but if Beck was kidding what will the media and the public make of the twin rallies by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

The comedians and hosts of Comedy Central’s the Daily Show and the Colbert Report respectively have been hyping their own rally on Washington. Stewart named his part of the gathering “A Rally to Restore Sanity”. Colbert remaining in character called his a “March to Keep Fear Alive”.  While everything that the pair does is tongue in cheek, some media analysts are saying that the hosts are speaking for what former Vice President Spiro Agnew deemed the silent majority.

The message is that many Americans have tuned out the partisanship and inconclusive results of the political process. For many people the message that the political system is a joke seems to resonate.

There is an old clichéd adage to never bring up politics or religion at dinner parties. The ensuing discussions often become heated and result in hurt feelings that ruin the party. While religion remains difficult waters to enter, politics hopefully has evolved into something that could be discussed reasonably amongst friends.

Even though health political discussion is ideal, the rhetoric has become ugly since Barrack Obama’s election. The FBI even issued a warning for domestic terrorism as right wing militias have risen in prominence with the election of a Democratic president. It is not surprising that groups of people have reacted violently when listening to right wing announcers on radio.

Personalities like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh earn millions of dollars by pounding on war drums against the supposed left-wing conspiracy to turn the nation socialist. Despite their venom, Obama has walked the line as a centrist. Tax rates remain nearly the same as they were prior to his election, and banking laws have not radically changed.

The gridlocked American political process makes it difficult for major changes in legislation to pass. Filibusters are regularly used to combat even the slightest change in policy. Even Obama’s supposedly radical healthcare plan resembled what Republican Governor Mitt Romney passed in Massachusetts.

If Obama did not hold the label of Democrat or run under the political slogan of “hope and change” then his actions would hardly merit the public outcry and calls for revolution. Going over the tops sells and spewing venom earned Limbaugh and Beck healthy paychecks.

Rather than screaming that Obama lied or that the Democrats are too radical, Beck and Limbaugh should investigate former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. During his administration the upper tier tax rate was more than 90 percent. Using those figures makes the debate between Republican and Democrat seem almost pointless.  The parties might push different policies, but the difference appears minute at best.

Can people with political aspirations ever make a mistake? Looking at the Kentucky Senate race between Rand Paul and Jack Conway the answer is no.

Even though there is no footage of the incidents Paul has had to answer for pranks he supposedly committed in college. In one of the incidents Paul joined an organization that was critical of Christianity. In the more ridiculous case, Paul supposedly helped to tie up a female student to “force” her to bow before the fake god ‘Aqua Buddha”. Paul has refused to comment on the incidents, which occurred more than 25 years ago. Paul’s refusal to address the stories has led his opponent to feature them in attack ads. The ads challenge seemingly Paul’s faith and seek comments on actions that appear to have practically no impact on the election.

The surprising aspect of the ads is that Paul is the Republican candidate and Conway is the Democrat. The roles have been reversed in this odd election cycle and the Democrat is attempting to out-Christian his opponent. Paul has refused to discuss the incidents and has gone as far as walking off the stage during a debate while refusing to shake Conway’s hand. Paul accused Conway of not “being a man” and of deflecting from the campaign. Paul has also stated that he will not debate Conway or any candidate that would dare to “question his religion”.

The woman in the bizarre “Aqua Buddha” hazing incident has refused to come forward, and the mystery surrounding continues. Despite the odd nature of the apparent hazing, a question of statute of limitations comes into play. Should candidates have to answer for their behavior as teenager or 20-year-olds decades after the fact? Even if the moral answer is no, the race between Paul and Conway is significant because it shows that no skeleton no matter how obscure, bizarre or old can be completely buried.

The United States political scene has been transformed in recent years by candidates that are willing to say almost anything, yet there are little or no consequences for their behavior. Perhaps the movement should be called the Sarah Palin effect since the trailblazing candidate ran as a family values candidate, even though her own teenage daughter was unmarried and pregnant at the time.

Rather than dismiss Palin for her often outrageous comments, supporters rallied around her and championed her as a “regular person’. Her status was earned despite her accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts from the Republican National Committee and her act of cashing in on her new found celebrity. After Palin and running mate John McCain lost their 2008 bid for the White House, she returned to Alaska—for a few months. She resigned her post as governor and moved into the realm of punditry. Palin accepted millions of dollars to tell her story in a book deal and began to accept huge fees to appear as a speaker.

The notion of Palin as a public servant seems absurd when looking at her record. She briefly served as governor as her administration received numerous ethics complaints for carrying out political attacks on those who opposed her agenda. As soon as her position allowed her to venture into more profitable pursuits Palin left her post and now appears on Fox News as a political analyst. Supporters including the so-called Tea Party are calling for her to run in the 2012 presidential election. She has yet to commit, perhaps because the money is so go sitting on the sidelines. Her family is also cashing in on her fame, as her daughter Bristol has appeared on the show “Dancing with the Stars”. Bristol’s stardom is apparently based being the daughter of a one time vice presidential candidate.

Of all the hyperbole used by politicians in election ads the statement the raising taxes on the rich is “class warfare’ might be the most absurd. While taxes are always a touchy issue, it is insulting to those who died in actual “class warfare” to claim that a slight increase in the income tax rate of the richest Americans amounts to an act of violence.

The income tax rates on the richest Americans are considerably lower than during an era the many conservatives lift up as the “Golden Age”. In the post World War II years, the United States entered into an era of great economic growth despite tax raters on the highest income earners that was more than double that it is today.

A slight increase it tax on the rich might actually reduce the amount of strife between the classes. Eras in American history were the income distribution got out of control has resulted in the potential for a complete collapse of the capitalist system. In post World War I Europe, radical governments were able to rise to power due to political instability and a ruined financial system.

Post World War I Germany showed what class warfare might look like. Political assassinations were regular occurrences and political parties would often battle in the streets like armed gangs. Under the terror of this system a civilized and industrialized society turned their trust to a criminal political party. While this scenario is repeated ad nausea, the fact that it occurred and cost the lives of millions of people shows the vulgarity of using the term class warfare to describe a minor tax hike.

Class warfare occurred in Russian society, when communists murdered Czar Nicholas and his family. It occurred in France when King Louis XXVI lost his head to the guillotine. If it occurs in the United States the results will be uglier than a tax hike.

The election of President Barrack Obama infuriated the group of people that walk in step with the radical dogma that anything other than a flat tax represents “class warfare”. This ugly term is meant to evoke strong emotions from those listening to propagandists. While the tax policy can be reasonably debated, labeling it as class warfare takes it out of the realm of civil politics and into an unmovable position.

Democracy is meant to limit damage and find compromise. When drawing a line in the sand and declaring war against the other side the result is political gridlock. And when a democratic government cannot act the result is a lack of government and the absence of oversight.

The United States now finds itself in the midst of an economic meltdown that was brought upon by unregulated financial markets. The collapse of the American mortgage system caused generations of wealth to be wiped out and millions of workers throughout the world to be displaced. Despite the damage these policies caused many of the same rules for investment banks still exist, and the people in power who allowed the system to collapse are still in power.

The Obama administration did not take the radical steps that President Franklin Roosevelt pushed through Congress during his first 100 days in office. In the 1930s, the prospect of actual class warfare loomed since governments throughout Europe were being taken over by armed radicals.

American history has its own instance of class warfare. John Brown stormed the federal armory at Harpers Ferry prior to the American Civil War. His attempt to start a slave revolution failed, but the prospect of a revolt pushed southern leaders to opt for secession upon the election of Abraham Lincoln.

Class warfare does not occur when a public policy is enacted. Class warfare is the reaction to government policy.

For people that work thankless 8 to 5 jobs and live paycheck to paycheck the news that Mike “the Situation” Sorrentino will earn $5 million during the second year of his fame might be enough to consider a violent overthrowing of the financial system. Fans of the situation might see his success as a sign that their day is coming, but for the rest of the population it seems that any notion of hard work or substance has been lost.

The Situation emerged on the scene as a cast member on the surprise MTV hit Jersey Shore. The television show broke no new ground and appeared to be a trashier spin-off of the popular reality show The Real World. While the Real World professed to be telling the stories of young adults picked from across the United States taken out of their comfort zone, the Shore took trashy Jersey kids and showed them partying to excess. Jersey Zone revealed in ignorant excess. Fist pumps and spiked hair were in. Thinking and political correctness were out.

Initially Jersey Shore was controversial. Italian-American groups protested the depiction of these self proclaimed Guidos and Guidettes. The characters were classic anti-heroes. They disdained responsibility and lived if not for the moment, but for a night in the club. Careers and jobs did not matter as much as chasing the next sexual conquest. Acting as the ultimate male chauvinist, the Situation obtained a fan base. Soon he was as much a brand as he was a character. The Situation was the face of a brand of vodka. He was offering his work out secrets in a video. He was starring on Dancing with the Stars.

The Situation seemingly never worried about a career or the company match on his 401K. He cared about working out, tanning and getting a new girl every night. Some how this emerged into a career than earned more money in a year than many will in a career.

How is wealth created? Economists will almost certainly disagree on the answer, but as the question depends on factors including era and politics.

In feudal or slave societies humans were chattel and akin to livestock. Wealth was created when a ruler gained control over more subjects. In feudal Russia as in the antebellum American South wealth could be measured in the size of an estate and the number of humans owned. In these terms understanding the problems in transitioning an economy is more understandable. Those in power did not want systems to change. For feudal lords and southern planters wealth could be measured in the amount of labor owned.

Slavery ended less due to the social outrage of the practice than it becoming economically unviable. Slave societies were influx and volatile as mechanization made it less profitable to own slaves, where the liability for the well being of the worker fell on the owner. Uncertainty led to conflict and wealth as measured in human chattel gave way to ownership of the means of production.

Owners that produced products in factories were “creating wealth” by turning natural resources into finished goods. While industrialization altered societies and raised standards of living for societies, it also had many negative externalities as societies became more sophisticated. Workers demanded better pay and safer working conditions, and factory owners were not allowed to simply dump industrial waste anywhere. In regulated environments creating wealth became more difficult for factory owners.

Thus factory owners moved to new unregulated markets where workers could be paid less and authorities are less concerned with the negative by products of industrialization. The problem with wealth creation in this model is that eventually the planet will run out of markets to move basic industrial production. At that point the system for measuring wealth will have to be examined and perhaps altered.

Part of the difficulty in the political process is that what people say they want does not equal votes at the polls. When polled potential voters will often complain that politicians do not tell the truth. Yet, when politicians tell the truth voters often respond with anger. When President Jimmy Carter made a speech that said the American public needs to cut back on oil consumption and begin to live within its financial means it helped to get him thrown out of office in record fashion.

President Ronald Reagan served up a different speech than Carter. His campaign pushed the notion that America was the greatest nation on the planet and that Americans had no reason to be ashamed of their lifestyles. Polling also reveals that Americans have a negative view of elected officials. Recent polls in particular have shown that Congress has all time low approval ratings. Even though Americans disapprove of the performance of their senators and representatives, incumbents win reelections at astonishingly high rates. Polls show that most voters do not trust elected officials, but when asked about their own elected officials voters report high levels of trust.

The contradiction is well known to marketers. Focus groups will often say that they love products and would buy them. When it comes time to actually buy the product members of the focus group will balk when the bill arrives. Politics influences society far more than marketing studies, and falling to create positive policies can cause a society to rot or even collapse. Politicians that give voters the truth and tell them about the need to work and improve damage their own careers.

Societies have collapsed due to over indulgence of resources. Yet telling people to sacrifice might lead to voter alienation. In an ironic twist, perhaps the best way to serve the public is to paint a picture of optimism as a candidate and take a pragmatic route in office.

Not sure what movie you want to go see this weekend? You’re not alone. There are always a bunch of movies playing, especially if you live in a big city and have access to more than one theater. One of the best ways to find out what movies are hottest is through online movie reviews. Sure, you can ask friends or other people who’ve seen the movie, but what if it’s not out yet? Do you wait to see how others liked it and possibly miss a great opening weekend, or do you go see it, hoping it won’t stink?

Reviewers get access to the movie before the general public, so reading what they have to say can help you make a decision. There are all kinds of things to do online, and you’re probably already active on forums, sports betting sites, social media, and other places. Why not check out movie reviews while you’re already online? It only takes a few minutes and it can save you time and money if the movie doesn’t sound like something you really want to see. You don’t want to spend money for a ticket and a drink and popcorn if the movie isn’t going to be any good.

It’s better to stay home and do something else, or pick a different movie to watch, instead. Even going with a group of friends and making fun of a bad movie doesn’t always take away the sting of a high ticket price and a few wasted hours. Online movie reviews are a great way to avoid that kind of problem, and guide you toward the movies that you’ll really enjoy and that you really should go see because of a valuable, redeeming quality – or just because they’re really funny.

The 2000 Presidential Election was the most highly contend presidential election in recent history, if not ever. Democratic candidate Al Gore and Republican candidate George W. Bush fought a tough political battle starting on the campaign trail, moving to a recount in Florida, and finally, a Supreme Court decision. George W. Bush was granted the victory, but the results are still highly contested among political junkies.

With all the ins and outs of the 2000 Political Election, there are many questions to be answered. What could the two main candidates have done differently? What role did voter fraud or vote machine failure play in the election? And finally, what role did the Green Party play in helping Republicans win?

Nader and the Election

In 2000, Ralph Nader decided to run for President under the Green Party banner. Discouraged with the state of contemporary politics, Nader based his campaign on the individual, rallying against corporate greed and corruption. After a tough campaign, Nader and his running mate, Winona LaDuke won about 2.75 percent of the public vote. Although the Green Party came in third for the 2000 Election, they failed to garner the fiver percent necessary to qualify for federal funding in the next election.

The big story, however, was that Green Party candidates won an disproportional amount of support in New Hampshire and Florida, two states that were pivotal in the 2000 election. Media attention of this phenomena grew, and ideas started to formulate. Many people suggested that since Green Party ideals more closely align with Democrats than Republicans, the support Nader received would have shifted to Al Gore. Votes for Nader took votes away from Gore. The Green Party cost Al Gore the presidency of the United States.

However, this idea was largely discredited later. Since the election was so close, votes to any other party (Libertarians) garnered votes from the main party.

Nader was born in 1934 to Lebanese parents. He grew up speaking both Lebanese and English. He excelled in school, graduating from Princeton as an undergrad, then attending Harvard Law School. There, he began his work as a consumer advocate. He published “Unsafe at Any Speed” in 1965, the book a well-known critique on the American car and the American car industry. Nader gained some notoriety from the publication, eventually suing General Motors for intimidation and excessive surveillance. “Unsafe at Any Speed” was later vindicated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the book’s main antagonist -the Corvair- was dropped from GM’s line.

Nader has worked heavily as an activist. Upon moving to DC in the early 70′s Nader and his band of young, progressively-minded crusaders formed -Nader’s Raiders’. Nader’s Raider’s is a group of students that examines the doings of the Federal Trade Commission. Environmental causes quickly became a priority of Nader, striving to clean up the nation’s rivers and lakes. Nader also strove for tighter governmental oversight of nuclear power plants.

Nader has always been politically minded. Rumors over a possible presidential run swelled in 1971, but it wouldn’t be for another 30 years until Nader ran. Nader has made several runs at the White House, first as a Green Party candidate than as an independent, never garnering more than 4 percent of the popular vote. His platform is much like his personality. He advocates worker’s rights, environmental protection, and progressive social ideals. Although Nader has never won, his politics and ideas have had great influence on the major candidates.

Ralph Nader has been the Green Party’s most formidable asset of the 20th century. Although he broke with the Green Party in 2004 and ran as an independent, he still allies himself with the party, and has carried over much of their ideals as an independent candidate.

For over 150 years, the U.S. has been primarily a two-party country, although in recent years, third parties have started to gain ground. Currently, the two main parties are the Democrats and Republicans. Political parties date back to the time of George Washington, even though he didn’t belong to a party and hoped that political parties wouldn’t develop.

Beginning in the late 1700s, political parties were becoming part of the government system. The early political parties weren’t called Republicans or Democrats; they were the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Supportive of a strong national government, the Federalists wanted to focus on development of manufacturing and commercial resources. By contrast, the Anti-Federalists were concerned about too much governmental power and wanted to promote the country’s agricultural heritage. Because these early parties weren’t well organized, they evaluating dissolved or fractured into smaller groups.

By the 1820s, political parties were once again developing and this time, the system would take root. The Democrats and the Whigs, which followed the Anti-Federalists and Federalists respectively, united supporters and began to drive politics and the elections. In 1928, the Democrats elected Andrew Jackson and pushed a limited government philosophy. Those who opposed this idea and wanted to use national power to facilitate a market economy formed the Whig party. Both parties campaigned vigorously and used the media of the day to promote their platforms. As a result political parties became viewed as a necessary part of the process.

From this time to the middle of the 20th century, two main parties, evolving into the modern Democratic and Republican parties, dominated the U.S. political landscape. Third parties, which include independents and those not associated with either of the major parties, have developed over the years in response to dissatisfaction with the two-party system. Some of the third parties include Libertarian party and the Green Party. The Green party actually has state-level organization such as the Green Party of Tennessee, Green Party of Texas, and the Maine Green Independent Party.

When people think of the name LaDuke, they conjure up images of the 2000 Presidential Election. Signs, buttons, and billboards with the message Nader/LaDuke etched in big, red lettering. But who is this number two; this partner to Ralph Nader and friend to the Green Party?

LaDuke was born in 1959. Her father, a Native American spiritual leader, and her mother, a Jewish artist, played an important role in shaping her life as an activist. Shortly after LaDuke graduated college she became active in the Native American community. Soon, she was leading demonstrations and rallies, trying to regain lands for the embattled southern-Oregon Anishinabeg tribe. Native American rights quickly became her life’s work. She published books detailing the forced sterilization of Native Americans, appeared in multiple documentaries, and started many charities, all in an effort to help Native American causes.

LaDuke is best known as Ralph Nader’s running mate in the 2000 Presidential Election. On the campaign trail, she was a fervent supporter of Native American rights, as well as all things Green Party. Although Nader/LaDuke lost the election, they helped the Green Party gain national recognition. LaDuke and Nader maintain a friendly relationship, and frequently consult each other on all things political.

Over time, LaDuke’s fierce rebuke of American colonialism and corporate pandering has gained her the reputation of a fighter. LaDuke is frequently quoted, saying things like, “the only compensation for land is land. She believes that Indian nations should be treated as sovereign nations. She recognizes that Native Americans are a minority in the United States, and advocates a more vocal populace of tribes in order to be heard. She champions third party causes, believing that America has become two-party oriented, a fact that indeed hurts her causes, as well as the causes of others.

We may not see LaDuke’s face in the limelight again any ime soon. But let it be known: she is here to stay.

The U.S. electoral process has involved political parties almost from the very beginning of this country. During the early years, the parties had different names, but the two-party system functioned similarly as it does today. Each side, whether Federalist, Whig, or Republican, seemed to support the opposite point of view as the other party. Because the U.S. has always been a two-party system, third parties have not had as much success. The term third party refers to any party other than the two main groups. Currently, the Republicans and Democrats represent the two main parties in America.

In the United States, numerous third parties have arisen over the years. Though third party candidates rarely win major elections, they can have a spoiler effect on the election, which ends up shifting the tide in one direction or the other. However, several third party candidates have made strong showings in the elections. For example, Ross Perot won 18.9 percent of the popular vote in 1992, but no electoral votes. These results were the second-best showing on record for a third-party presidential candidate.

Right now, the largest third parties in the U.S. are the Constitution Party, Libertarian Party, and Green Party. Other third parties have formed based on ideologies, like right-wing, centrist, state-only, and left-wing parties. Founded in 1992, the Constitution Party was originally known as the U.S. Taxpayers’ Party, and this group pushes strong biblical values as well as stricter Constitutional interpretation. The Libertarian Party promotes minimally regulated markets, less stringent border control, stronger civil liberties, and foreign policy that supports less intervention. Recognized nationally since 2001, the Green Party has many state level organizations, such as the Green Party of Tennessee and the Maryland Green Party. Issues like respect for environmentalism, diversity, peace, nonviolence, and social justice are the emphasis of the Green party.

Originating from the Association of State Green Parties, the Green Party was officially recognized in 2001. The primary goal, at the time, was for the national Green Party to support existing state parties and to encourage formation of parties in all 50 states. Currently, the Green Party still considers this focus an important component of the party’s work. As well, the Green Party hopes to present itself as a viable alternative within the political workings of the government.

Ideologically, the Green Party believes in environmentalism, grassroots democracy, social justice, and decentralization of resources. One of the primary tenets of the Green Party is the idea of conserving natural resources and focusing on living in balance and with respect for the earth. Followers of the Green Party work to encourage involvement in the government at all levels and to make sure elected officials stay accountable to the general public.

The Green Party supports the concept that people must work to tear down barriers created by race, class, gender, age, and so on. Other important party ideas include promotion of global peace, respect for diversity, and personal as well as global responsibility. In the Green Party, the Green National Committee is the decision making body and is made up of delegates from accredited state parties and caucuses. Generally, the Green Party tries to leave decision-making to the state parties.

Currently, the Green Party has won elections at the local level, such as spots in the Maine House of Representatives, the California State Assembly, and the Arkansas House of Representatives. In 1996 and 2000, Ralph Nadar ran for president as the Green Party candidate. Other candidates ran on the Green Party ticket in 2004 and 2008. Many states have Green Parties, including the Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party, the North Carolina Green Party, and the Green Party of Tennessee.

Often considered one of the best examples of democracy, the United States is actually a republic. With a true democracy, the people have ultimate governing power. In a republic, the people have control of the government, usually through elected officials, and the head of the government is not a monarch. Examples of a republic include the United States and France.

The United States government is divided into three distinct branches: the executive branch, legislative branch, and judicial branch. Powers were given to each group in the Constitution. Congress makes up the legislative branch, the President is the head of the executive branch, and the Supreme Court represents the judicial branch. Compromised of members elected by the people, Congress is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Though the President heads up the executive branch, the Vice President, Cabinet, and other officials help run this branch of government. Considered the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court handles cases related to the Federal Government, conflicts between states, and interpretation of the Constitution.

So that no one group becomes too powerful, checks and balance exist to keep the system running smoothly. For example, Congress can pass a law, but the President can veto the law. If it passes Congress and the President, the Supreme Court can hear a related case and declare the law unconstitutional.

State and local level governments actually have significant power as well. In fact, the 10th Amendment prohibits the Federal Government from taking over any area not given to it specifically in the Constitution. Generally, state and local governments have the most influence on people’s every day lives. Since states have their own laws, constitutions, and organizational systems, policies concerning property, crime, and health issues tend to differ from state to state.

Many times, political leaders are not recognized for their greatness or contributions until long after their time in power. Certain leaders are known for their lasting contributions to society. Others are remembers as examples of how not to govern. Some of the most notable political leaders include:

Napoleon Bonaparte
Emperor and military commander of France, Napoleon came to power in the 19th century and made France a dominant presence in continental Europe.

Henry VIII
From April 1509 until his death, Henry VIII was King of England and is responsible for the separating the Church of England from the Catholic Church so that he could divorce and remarry to produce a male heir.

George Washington
The commander who led the revolutionary army to victory against England, George Washington was the first president of the United States. Washington worked on development of the Constitution as well as building a federal government, creating a banking system, and overseeing a fair taxing system.

Abraham Lincoln
President of the U.S. during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln helped ensured a Union victory and was largely responsible for ending slavery in America.

Adolf Hitler
Leader of the Nazi party and chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler ruled as a dictator in the 1930s and began a quest for world domination that resulted in World War II. His anti-Semitism and ideas about racial purification lead to the death of over 6 million Jewish people, as well as others whom he deemed as unworthy.

Winston Churchill
One of the greatest political leaders in the United Kingdom, Winston Churchill was prime minister during World War II. Churchill refused to support Germany and aligned Britain with the United States, and later the Soviet Union, to defeat Hitler.

Mahatma Gandhi
A great spiritual and political leader in India, Mahatma Gandhi pushed massive civil disobedience and non-violent resistance as ways to change the British rule in his country.

Stepping into the polling booth or filling out a mail-in ballot can be a daunting task. Who has time to keep up with politics on a federal level, much less a local one? Even for the informed voter, it’s hard to grasp the issues of the two main political parties-Republican and Democrat. What about myriad of small, underdog parties that most people have never even heard of? How can someone be expected to know where they stand on issues? Who has the time? For most voters, their vote usually comes down to a choice of Republicans or Democrats.

But is that right? Are Americans doing themselves a favor by restricting their political spectrum? What about the communists, socialists, anarchists, and all the other individuals that run for office outside of a main political party. Don’t they have some good ideas? Shouldn’t they be heard?

Spoilers or Real Challengers?

Perhaps for some, mention of the Green Party brings a bad taste to the mouth. In the highly contested 2000 presidential election, the Green Party- under candidate Ralph Nader- took home 2.74 percent of the National vote. Certainly not a large chunk. National media speculated that the Green Party, whose supporters would typically align with Democrat ideals, cost Al Gore the pivotal state of Florida. Some say that if Nader didn’t run, Al Gore would have won Florida, thus winning the election.

But in recent years, Green party candidates have done much more than play spoiler. Green party members began running for U.S. political office in 1985. A Green Party member has never held an elected position on the Federal level. The party has held local and state positions, and can be a huge political force in small elections. Across the US, there have been Green Party mayors, State Representatives, and local city council members. The Green Party may not be well-known or understood, but they have certainly played a part in shaping the political landscape of the U.S.

Remember: there is more to your ballot than two parties.

One of the main tenets of the Green Party is grassroots democracy, which is a principle that many people advocate. However, not everyone is aware of what it means, as they may simply assume it sounds nice and decide to support it. Before truly understanding the ideals of the Green Party of Tennessee, it is helpful to know more about one of the major goals.

These days, many people complain about big government making all our decisions for us. They claim to be unhappy with the choices that the elected officials in Washington, D.C. make, and some are even dissatisfied with the choices made by their local politicians. For such people, the idea of grassroots democracy may be quite appealing, as it turns the power to the ordinary citizen rather than unknown politicians. Many in the Green Party of Tennessee encourage those in every city to get involved in making decisions by forming groups at the local level, rather than simply listening to those at the national level of politics.

Nearly every city likely has enough residents who are tired of politicians who they do not know making decisions. A grassroots effort is merely an organized group of people who want to exercise some power at the local level when it comes to decisions that affect them. The Green Party of Tennessee encourages the formation of such groups since it allows individuals to get back the power that they deserve. After all, many people believe that they are the best ones to make decisions for themselves.

Before joining either a grassroots group or the Green Party of Tennessee, it is helpful to know the beliefs involved. The point of this kind of group is to encourage citizens to be involved in the decision-making procedure. The Green Party of Tennessee strives to educate people about this idea, as well as increase participation in politics as a whole.

There are many beautiful areas of the country, but Massachusetts is near the top in the eyes of many people. Because it has four distinct seasons and a good quality of life overall, it’s a popular place to live, work, play, and vacation. As you get older, though, some of those things aren’t as important. What matters more is being able to get around and do the things that you enjoy doing without being afraid of falling or otherwise getting hurt. You might also be concerned about burdening friends or family members so you don’t want to ask for help very often.

If you find yourself in that position and if you’re considering assisted living, Massachusetts has many facilities that you can look into. With assisted living you won’t feel as though you’re in a nursing home. You’ll be comfortable and safe, and you’ll have people who can help you with the things you can’t do for yourself anymore. You also won’t have to worry about cooking, because your meals will be provided for you. The best thing about assisted living, though, is that you’ll still have your privacy. The rooms in these facilities only house one person each and are more like small apartments.

You can be social and interact with the other residents and the staff if you want to. Or you can also just stay in your room and do the things you like to do, as well. Don’t worry that you won’t have any control over your life, because you’ll have more control than you realize. All assisted living is for is to keep you safe and make sure that you get help with the things you’re having trouble doing. You won’t have a roommate and you won’t have people hovering over you all the time, so you can retain both your privacy and your dignity.

Those interested in politics may be curious about what certain political parties have been up to recently. One party that separates itself from the two main parties of Republicans and Democrats, the Green Party, has created a “Green New Deal.” This plan lists some of the goals of many of those in this political party. However, one does not have to be well-versed in politics to find out what these objectives are, and perhaps agree with them.

One of the first hopes of the Green New Deal is to cut military spending by over 70%, since many feel that given the state of the economy, our country needs to focus on paying for other helpful programs. Similarly, other ideals seek to increase income for the country, such as by legalizing marijuana, and investing in mass transit, conservation, and renewable energy, thereby creating union jobs for citizens. It is the hope of those involved in politics at any level that some of these principles will increase the flow of money in this country, assisting both individuals and the nation overall. Additionally, some of the Green New Deal objectives seek to improve certain types of assistance for citizens, such as creating tuition-free college and a single-payer healthcare plan so that everyone has access to these benefits.

Other changes that many Green Party members endorse include improving the standards surrounding labor, health, and the environment, and keeping credit card companies from implementing outrageous interest rates. Finally, it is the hope of many people who pay attention to politics to reform rules surrounding campaign finance, and get rid of corporate personhood, which will require amending the Constitution. Enacting many or all of these policies will ensure that those in the Green Party are able to lead the country in the direction that they desire, hopefully improving various aspects.

If you have ever wondered what significance the word “green” holds for the Green Party, it may be time to find out. Perhaps not surprisingly given the modern usage of this term, green refers to a tendency to place a lot of importance on the good of the environment. While most of the tenets of the Green Party of Tennessee now go beyond environmental responsibility, as do the principles of the worldwide organization in general, it is nice to know the original objectives of this party that revolve around being truly green.

These days, the Green Party of Tennessee is concerned with topics involving social justice, grassroots democracy, and progress in general. However, the party started out focusing more on the conservation of our planet’s resources, such as water, forests, and natural habitats. Members of this group often create ideas and amendments to the Constitution concerning such topics, especially when it comes to issues that many are concerned with, such as renewable energy. Those interested in learning more about such topics to find out whether they agree may look to the Green Party of Tennessee to get more information on environmental issues that deal with politics.

Unlike the two main political parties that many people know these days, the Green Party, and offshoots that have similar beliefs, exists outside of the United States, as well. Therefore, there is the Green Party of Tennessee, along with parties from every other state, and then there are green groups in various other countries. In fact, the origin of this political party is Germany, and it is still quite popular in parts of Europe, though it was formed in the 1970s. Though the principles of the Green Party of Tennessee and other areas have since evolved to include nonviolence, decentralization, and participatory democracy, to name a few objectives, this party did indeed start out focusing on the “green” aspect that it still espouses today.

One of the latest occurrences to shake up politics is the Tea Party movement, which is a large group of people who claim to be tired of the status quo in Washington, D.C. This group has decided to take matters dealing with politics into its own hands by organizing events throughout the country aimed at protesting current political conditions and representatives in an effort to invoke change. Though many in the movement are politically conservative, there are people of all political parties, ages, races, and beliefs in the Tea Party.

Not surprisingly, the name of the group is derived from the legendary Boston Tea Party, as both movements share the common theme of being against excess taxes. Large events that hundreds of thousands attend are put on by the Tea Party in major cities across the country, riling up people that otherwise might never be interested in politics. In fact, it is believed that the movement has helped some underdogs get elected into office, coming as a complete surprise to many. In any case, the Tea Party idea sent voting Republicans out in droves during the 2010 primaries, causing them to outvote Democrats by a large margin.

Clearly, whether the Tea Party movement is a positive addition to politics is pure opinion, but there is no denying that it has pushed many would-be bystanders into the political arena. Americans worried about the effect of current policies on their lives, such as increased taxes, healthcare reform, bailouts, and earmarks, to name a few, have simply banded together to protest these changes. In general, the tenets of the Tea Party include determining whether new laws are in fact constitutional, requesting a more balanced budget, decreasing both taxes and earmarks, and considering a simpler tax system. Since many Americans agree with such principles, it is no wonder that so many have joined the Tea Party bandwagon of late.

The Green Party of Tennessee is the state party organization of the Green Party in Tennessee. The party is committed to non-violence, social justice grassroots democracy, and ecology. Greens are trying to regenerate democracy in the Unites States without any support from any of the corporate donors. Green Party is in great effort to provide practical solution for real problems in society.

Green National Committee is the highest deciding authority and this composes of members from recognized state party and caucus. The main aim of this party is to make Green Party into practicable political party of the United States. The operating principle of this party is to be simple and focused. While establishing the presence of Green in policy updates and politics, the Green Party also work on the growth at the local and state level.

The Green party is supported by small contributions from citizens and from thousands of volunteers from the local as well as national level. The national level office work with the national organizing works and field organizers work with local party and people to mobilize greens in election activity, voter registration process, and every day citizen action.

The party works on broad platform that includes protecting the natural environment, protecting human rights, and providing social justice. The budgetary needs and financial resources are taken care at the state level. The party also works consistently with concerns and issues within the community. The party does not accept any donations from corporate. They don’t encourage corporate control and influence over media, government, and society.

The party works on ten key values: grassroots democracy, ecological wisdom, social justice and equal opportunity, decentralization, non-violence, gender equity, community based economic justice, personal responsibility, respect for diversity, and sustainability with future focus. The key values are used as the basic principle and these are defines and adapted to fit each state.

The green party of Tennessee works on ten key principles. The principles are grassroots democracy, ecological wisdom, decentralization, social justice, community-based economic justice, non-violence, gender equity, respect for diversity, personal and global responsibility, and future focus and sustainability. These key values are considered to be the guiding principles. The values are defined and adapted to fit the requirements of local and state level.

The greens believe in participatory democracy which always includes citizens in the process of decision-making. The green party works hard in getting all rights and opportunity for all the people that are afforded by the government and society. Greens support as well as practice to create a sustainable society and encourage people to use resources properly so that future generation will benefit from the resources.

The green party is effectively trying to create an effective alternative to the violence that prevails in the current society. Their main aim is to demilitarize and eliminate all weapons that may destroy society and nature. Greens believe non-violence method of opposing policies and practices. The green party believes in decentralization of wealth and power, and insists that civil rights are made for all citizens.

Greens support independently owned and socially responsible companies, co-operatives, and organizations that distribute control and resources to more people by means of democratic methods. Greens believe and respect difference in opinion and gender in economics and politics. The Green Party is more into developing equity between genders, honesty with moral conscience, and interpersonal responsibility.

Greens strongly believe that diverse elements present in the society should be reflected in politics, decision-making authorities, and organizations. Greens insist every citizen to develop personal well-being as well as support social harmony and ecological balance. Greens also try to safely dispose waste and protect all the natural resources, and develop a sustainable economics.

The four principles or pillars of the Green Party of Tennessee form the basis of green politics and they are ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy, and non-violence. These four pillars define greens as a political party that inter-relates its ideology from four different types of other movements such as the civil right movement, the peace movement, the labor movement, and the environmental movement.

Ecological wisdom covers the philosophies and teachings that are found in many environmental movements. This philosophy strongly believes in social and ecological harmony. This is the most basic principle of the green party. Ecological wisdom is often paired with indigenous cultural and religion practices. Most importantly, the Green Party works on reducing the negative impact of human population on the natural environment. Greens never believe in superficial change in politics and policy, but rather insist to go deeper on this principle.

Social equity and justice is the greens another pillar and they work hard to remove all kinds of discrimination between gender, class, culture, and ethnicity. Greens insist social equity and strongly believe that disparities in power and wealth are due to the lack of social institutions to prevent the strong society plundering the weaker one.

Greens embrace participatory democracy or grassroots democracy. They strongly believe that this principle is the only reliable governing model to make some social change. Greens want to make all citizens to understand the policy and participate in the process of decision making. Greens favor member-driven and decentralized process. Also, the Green Party prevents accumulation of power in the party bureaucracy.

Greens follow non-violent way of opposing the policy and government. Greens try harder to eliminate all the weapons that may destroy the natural resources of society and environment. Above all, greens do not accept donations from corporate as they want to eliminate corporate influence in politics, media, and government.

The Green Party of Tennessee is the affiliate of the Green Party in Tennessee. The party is highly committed to certain ideologies like social justice, ecological wisdom, non-violence, and grassroots democracy. These are considered as the four pillars of the party. Greens biggest motive is to create democracy in the United States without seeking any help from the corporate donors as they don’t want big corporate to interfere government, politics, society, and nature.

Green National Committee is the deciding committee and this committee has members from caucus and recognized state party. This committee is trying hard to make greens as the practicable party and their principles are simply focused and easy to understand. The Green party not only works harder to establish itself in politics and policy, but also much harder for the growth of the state and local society.

The greens are highly supported from thousands of volunteers and citizen throughout the state and local level. The offices at national level works on national organizing works and local organizers work with the local group to mobilize Green Party in voter registration process, election process, and daily citizen activities.

Above all, the Green Party works very hard on protecting human rights, protecting natural environment, and bringing up social justice. Their aim is to educate citizens to know about all their civil rights. The state level committee takes cares of all financial needs and budgetary requirements.

The party strongly believes and acts according to their ten main principles and values: grassroots democracy, non-violence, decentralization, economic justice, social justice, gender equality, sustainability, personal responsibility, and respect for diversity. These key principles are defined and adapted to fit each state and this forms the basis for the growth of the party. Green Party always believes in providing real solutions for real problems prevailing in the society.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/08/09/2010-08-09_gopers_eat_their_own_sc_votes_out_pol_whos_not_conservative_enough.html

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http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/26/hulu-plus-has-14-percent-more-content-than-hulu-2-840-percent-m/

http://digg.com/news/politics/Democratic_vs_Republican_Tax_Plan

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100824082226.htm

http://www.gutefrage.net/picoftheday/bpoilspill.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100824082226.htm

The Green Party of Tennessee is the Tennessee state affiliate of the Green Party. The party is highly dedicated to its four pillars namely: grassroots democracy, ecological wisdom, social justice, and non-violence. The party is working harder to establish democracy in the United States without seeking from the big corporate as they don’t want any kind of corporate influence in government, policy, and politics. Green always believes in providing practical solutions to all real problems.

The deciding authority of the greens is the Green National Committee and the members of the committee are the representatives from the state level recognized party and caucus. They work towards establishing the Green Party as the practicable political party of the United States. Greens follow principles that are highly focused and simple. Greens not only establish their presence in politics and policy making, but also work for the growth of local level groups.

Greens are highly supported and motivated by citizens and thousands of volunteers from national as well as state level. The national level organizing works are performed by the national committee while the field organizers work with the local citizens’ voter registration process, election works, and other activities. The party also works harder in protecting the natural environment, establishing social justice, and protecting human rights. The state level committee takes care of all the financial and budgetary needs and also works regularly on the issues within the green community.

The greens never accept any kind of donation from big organizations and corporate and they work based on their ten basic principle. The principles are social justice, grassroots democracy, economic justice, decentralization, non-violence, and respect for diversity, sustainability, gender equity, and personal responsibility. Each state adapts these principles and uses it as their base value. Greens also believe in involving citizen in decision making process.

The Green Party of the U.S. had been running in political races since 1985. But, they have remained largely second-tier. What is the Green Party? What do they stand for? How are they going to help better America?

Below is a short list of ideas proposed by Ralph Nader and the Green Party on how to better America in the coming decade:

- Reform the political process. Enact legislation that mandates publicly financed election. Give small, third party candidates that suffer from lack of funding a better chance to succeed.
- Strengthen the living wage. The Green Party does not except the current state of minimum wage.
- Increase worker’s rights. Along with increasing minimum wage, the Green Party supports worker’s unions and rights for collective bargaining agreements.
- Fix and overhaul the U.S. justice system. Law in this country is broken, benefiting the wealthy and the known. Apply criminal laws against corporate crime. Crack down on all the corporate abusers and CEO’s that damage the financial strength of their employees.
- Provide full health coverage for everyone. Healthcare is an human right, not a privilege. The Green Party believes healthcare should be available to the poor, the sick, and the elderly, all at optimal levels.

These are just a few of the Green Party’s political views. Most of these views are outlined in Ralph Nader’s book: “Crashing the Party: How to Tell the Truth and Still Run for President. Although Ralph Nader is typically affiliated with the Green Party, he is not exclusive to the party. Like any politician, he agrees with certain ideals more than others, and has often thought about breaking from the party to run as an independent.

As a voter, it’s important to understand the ideas of all the poltical parties out there, not just Republican’s and Democrats. Visit www.gp.org for a greater understanding of the Green Party’s ideas to improve America.

For nearly a quarter of a decade, the Green party has slid under the political radar. Yes, members of the Green Party have won local and state elections, playing an important role in shaping the political landscape. Yes, Ralph Nader has run for election, garnering some nation-wide support for Green Party candidates. But asides from the occasional news blurb or quick clip about Green Party candidates playing spoiler, not much is heard about the party.

What do they stand for? What does it mean to vote for the Green Party? Are they some wacko, communist loving extremists, or a political party with solid ideals and ideas that will help progress America?

You be the judge. Below is a list of some of the Green Party’s ideas on how to improve America:

- Issue environmental protections standards. The vast natural landscape of the country is America’s greatest asset. It must be protected. Reduce toxins and promote sustainable technology, so America’s greatest asset remains clean and enjoyable for future generations.
- Abolish poverty. Through social programs, progressive ideas, and hard work, poverty in America can be drastically reduced. It is the responsibility of every citizen to strive for a poverty-free America.
- Renegotiate NAFTA and GATT to be more prosperous trade agreements for the nation and the world.
- Reject the failed war on drugs and end criminal justice system discrimination. A large majority of our nation’s prisons are crowded with drug offenders. It’s time America takes a different approach to drugs and the drug war.

These are just a few of the Green Party’s ideas to improve America. These ideas were outlined in Ralph Nader’s book, “Crashing the Party: How to Tell the Truth and Still Run for President. Although Ralph Nader is not specifically a direct representative of the Green Party, many of his political ideas align with the party. Visit www.gp.org for a better understanding of the Green Party and their plans to improve America.

For years the American political landscape has been dominated by a two party system. It’s been the ongoing battle of the democrats versus the republicans. One thing you can count on is that when one party is in power, the other party spends most of its time crying foul and complaining about procedures. That is until they become the party of power and the roles are reversed. The most popular game in Washington is the blame game. Why bother fixing something when it’s the other guy’s fault? What can break this endless cycle of squabbling? A viable third party option. By why stop there? Why not a fourth or fifth or sixth viable political party? Diversity is what makes America so unique and that should be reflected in our political process as well.

The Green Party has been presenting candidates in their grassroots movement for many years. Ask any of the supporters and you’ll find that these Green Party candidates seem more connected to the people. This is probably due to the fact that they are truly of the people and not part of any political dynasty or corporate handlers. It’s not merely a question of putting country first but putting people first. Although the Green Party is most often associated with environmental concerns, it is really the welfare of all the earth’s citizens that concern them.

Cleaning up the environment provides an endless list of benefits for humanity. Not only will we be leading healthier lives thanks to cleaner air and water, but there will be an abundance of work. If our society dedicates itself to developing renewable forms of energy then we can reclaim our position as world leader. Don’t think a Green Party candidate is just going to ask you to recycle your papers and plastics. Find out where they stand on the issues. You’ll be surprised at how close they are to your own stands. Give Green a chance.

There are many benefits to living in an advanced society. Education is a priority, meaning every person regardless of heritage or culture has the right to learn. The government expects citizens to abide by the laws and passes legislation in order to protect the common rights of the people without impeding an individual’s right to freedom. An advanced society also encourages citizens to develop a sense of community rather than focusing on every man for himself.

There are many ways the foundations of a society can help an individual. From protecting a person from discrimination to providing a person with the opportunity to change his or her social status, citizens of an advanced society aim to not impede anyone else’s pursuit of happiness.

One area that embraces this idea of society is auto insurance. States pass laws to require anyone who owns a car to obtain coverage. This is to protect the common good of people who may get hurt during a car accident. But what happens when a person fails to live according to society’s expectations? The government and auto insurance companies have a contingency plan.

If you have auto insurance, you can add coverage to protect you and your passengers in the event an uninsured person hits or damages your car. Some areas even allow you to have coverage for under-insured drivers. Consider the following example. A man who drives a $40,000 car gets hit by a person without insurance. He may not have cash set aside to fix his car. The person without the insurance may not have any assets he can sell to repair the car. If the man with the expensive car has coverage for this on his own auto insurance policy, he can submit a claim to his insurance company and get the funds to repair his car. In this way, society protects its citizens.

As if we needed more bad news related to the economy, new developments show that things are just getting worse on certain fronts even as we assured things are getting better.

The current recession has left more than 8 million people unemployed in the United States. It is the highest unemployment figure since the Great Depression of the 1930′s. Nationally, the unemployment rate continues to hover around 9.5 percent according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Out of the current number of unemployed Americans, more than 45 percent have not held a job for at least two years.

It is a distressing statistic no matter how you look at it. The unemployed are looking at things getting worse before they get better though. Efforts to extend jobless benefits in the Senate have fallen victim to partisan bickering. Critics argue extending benefits encourages people to stay unemployed and adds to the ballooning national deficit. many economists, however, say that not extending benefits could do more harm than good because it will reduce consumer spending and lengthen the time it will take for the economy to recover.

Since June, more than 2.1 million Americans have lost unemployment benefits and many millions more stand to suffer a similar fate while political gridlock grips Washington D.C. This state of affairs is just sad and shows how out-of-touch politicians have become with the people they are supposed to serve.

Should not our first priority be toward helping people find jobs and have enough money to feed, clothe and house themselves? Why is our government concerned more with helping out a rich CEO than the poor worker they laid off in a cost-cutting measure? It is truly a backward way of looking at things. It is not the way we should be governed. It is not the way our leaders should govern.

Extending jobless benefits not only makes sense, but it is the right thing to do for people in such dire situations. If we can’t see that, than our moral and ethical standards are in sorry shape indeed.

The problem appears to be a lack of consistent terminology when discussing the concept of facilities that are designated as “less than nursing home” care. Forty-one states consistently use the term “assisted living,” but other terms are used as well. Examples include personal care home, residential care facility, adult care home, home for the aged, and so on. In addition, there is no universal or federal definition of a facility designated for the care of individuals who are disabled but do not need full-time care.

Every state, Tennessee included, is engaging in a discussion on how to define and monitor these facilities. It is crucial that standards are defined and regulatory procedures are set in place. In the states that do have standards, such as Tennessee, facilities sometimes operate at below-standard levels. It is important to communicate to the public the health dangers and risks of below-optimum assisted living conditions and the importance of quality at the highest level.

ACLF (for “assisted-care living facility”) has become the accepted acronym in Tennessee, and the Department of Health, Division of Health and Environment has established rules and guidelines for these facilities. Issues covered include purpose, definitions, licensing requirements, fees, regulatory requirements, administration, services provided, admissions, discharges, transfers, building standards, life safety, infectious and hazardous waste, resident records, reports, resident rights, policies and procedures for healthcare decision making, and disaster preparedness. Clearly, there are many aspects to providing for the on-going health of those who are moderately disabled, and reasonable guidelines need to be established and maintained.

In Utah, a list of 1300 people allegedly living in the state as illegal immigrants was disseminated to the local media and law enforcement agencies by an anonymous group. Along with the list surfacing, Hispanic residents have reported threatening phone calls made to their homes. These callers, also anonymous, have threatened to have them deported.

A letter accompanied the list, proclaiming that the information was compiled by watching Hispanics in their neighboorhoods, schools and churches with the help of spies in their midst. There is some evidence though that the names were pulled from a database at the Utah Department of Workforce Services.

One would hope that such reactionary nonsense would never overtake Tennessee like Utah. Still, there is concern. These are desperate times because of economic difficulties and, unfortunately, Latino and Hispanic minorities are being targeted alike for paranoia-driven attacks.

We need to put aside this xenophobic nationalist fervor that is driving this crackdown on illegal immigrants. Do these people not deserve a chance to live a better life? What happened to the days when our nation welcomed people from all nations into our borders? We can say that terrorism changed our perspective. But the fact is that terrorism and outright warfare has been an issue for centuries. That never compelled us to close our borders in the past. Why should fear close them now?

It is ideal for all immigrants to come in through legal means. But so much red tape is involved in getting into the country that the system itself essentially encourages illegal immigration. We should reform our laws to make it easier for honest hard-working people to come to this country if they so choose. Wisdom should be used and the criminal element should be deported back to their country of origin. But there is no good reason to terrorize and racially profile a segment of our population that only wants to share in the American dream.

According to addiction experts, these factors may not be enough to convince addicts that they need help. Addiction recovery centers can cost a good deal of money, and it will go to waste on addicts who do not wish to cure themselves of this harmful habit. In-patient treatment requires active participation from drug abusers. They have to find the motivation within themselves to get better. Drug addiction is a mental disease, after all. Mere therapy and medications will have no fruitful effect on those who aren’t willing to change.

Drug rehab is for those who really want to abandon using drugs, and simply need a little help with the recovery process. Bad as it may sound to some people, drug recovery is mostly made possible by the person wanting to recover. If you want to lead a normal life and return to society again, rehab can really help you. If you don’t have that desire yet, better save your money for when you do.

Once you develop a longing to become a productive member of society, rehab is your ticket back. Experienced therapists know how to treat an addiction, how to deal with physical and mental setbacks of the recovery process, and how to use group therapy and psychiatry to deal with the mental issues that lead people to become addicted in the first place. This is important because there are likely underlying problems that you need to address before you can finally kick your addiction.

Plankton are disappearing from oceans across the world and the ramifications of that could become one of the greatest ecological crises of this generation.
Worldwide plankton levels have decreased by 40 percent over the past five decades according to a new study released by Canadian scientists. The study concluded that global warming is a probable cause behind the decline because plankton has a tougher time surviving in warmer waters. These tiny plants need access to cooler waters to get necessary nutrients.
This development is alarming because plankton is a base food in the aquatic food chain. It is also crucial to life everywhere on Earth because plankton convert carbon dioxide to produce roughly half of the planet’s oxygen supply. Without plankton, it is conceivable that this world would become much more of a hostile environment toward life on this planet.
We have already seen on a smaller scale what happens when the supply of plankton shrinks during El Nino weather cycles. With that food source in smaller quantities, large numbers of sea mammals and birds die from starvation. We can expect that an extinction of plankton could lead to a global extinction of countless species on a scale not seen in millions of years. That, in turn, would step up poverty and hunger in many countries as nations deal with the loss of vital sources of food and income.
The irony is that such a bleak future is our own doing. Both at home and abroad, people have become shortsighted and self-centered. They care little for being environmentally conscious. They only worry about satisfying their own wants and lifestyle with little regards to how it affects the rest of the planet. The time for such careless behavior needs to end.
Do we really want to turn Earth into a toxic rock that can no longer sustain life? This isn’t like buying a new shirt after the old one wears out. We cannot discard this planet and go find a new one somewhere else. If our society is to survive, we must create a better future now by creating a better environment now.

Air conditioners are the perfect symbol of modern convenience.
They represent an advancement in technology that, over the past few decades, have let us put up stakes anywhere from a sweltering bayou to a scorching desert and build one home after another.
You can see the impact of air conditioners in where people have chosen to live since the end of World War II. In 1960, only 12 percent of homes in the United States had air conditioning units. 50 years later, 85 percent of homes nationally have air conditioning. In the same time frame, cars have gone from 20 percent having air conditioning to virtually 100 percent.
One thing living in an air-conditioned society has done is make us less tolerant of our outside environment. Trees and natural foliage are routinely torn down to make way for the latest cookie cutter pre-planned community. Mountains and wetlands are ripped apart and reshaped to make room for the latest mansion or golf course.
And let’s not forget the impact on the air we breathe. Carbon dioxide emissions released from air-conditioned buildings and cars are simply astounding.
Those emissions total an estimated 500 million metric tons per year. Government officials have worked at times for stricter efficiency standards. But those standards cannot completely reverse the damage already done to our global climate.
For anyone who wants a green society and wants a way of life devoted to working in harmony with the environment, these continued trends are alarming. Something must be done to assure that future generations are not left with an unlivable planet all so we can feel a few degrees cooler on our way to work.
As individuals, we can do our part to enact green policies by turning off our air conditioners at home and in our car unless usage is absolutely necessary. Employers can do their part too, by keeping the workplace at temperatures at a level that will cause less usage of cooling systems and less carbon output as a result.
The steps are small but every little bit helps.

Almost a decade after the 9/11 attacks, more than 1,200 government agencies and more than 1,900 private companies throughout the U.S. are involved in a combination of counter-terrorism operations, homeland security and intelligence gathering.

Breaking that down on an individual level, around 854,000 people have top secret security clearance.

Is it at all surprising that intelligence agencies have become bloated and their growth has spiraled out of control? Sadly, no. This seems to be a rule of thumb when it comes to dealing with government agencies in general.

We live in a climate of fear that came as a result of the September 11th attacks. People naturally feel safer if they feel like there are a multitude of people out there on the job. In reality, quantity doesn’t equal quality. In tough economic times, we can’t afford to swell government agencies to mammoth sizes.

Gathering intelligence is something that must be done given the times we live in. While avoiding war and promoting peace is the ideal we should strive to achieve, we also should be aware of the dangers both within and outside our borders and should be able to identify those threats and take steps to prevent them from happening.

Still, gathering intelligence and fighting terrorism are things that can be streamlined and done more efficiently and at a lower cost. Does it really pay to have several different agencies doing essentially the same task? The simple solution is to clearly define what role each agency tackles and streamline the whole process. Not only do you cut away the excessive spending, but you make things more efficient and, in the long-term, much more effective.

On a moral and ethical scale, we must also reexamine our foreign policy and eliminate activities that contribute to a climate in other nations that fosters the growth of terrorism. We must be responsible enough to treat the disease and prevent it at the same time.

Bowing to partisan pressure, Democrats instead will focus on crafting a bill that will focus on tightening existing efficiency standards rather than aggressively regulate carbon emissions.

It is disappointing to see that, once again, our elected leaders do not have our best interests at heart. And, really, what could be more important than protecting the future of our entire planet?

How many more glaciers have to melt before we decide we have polluted enough? How much more extreme do our global weather patterns have to become before our leaders decide that global warming is a problem that must be dealt with sooner rather than later?

We’ve seen how little Republican leaders care about the environment. Many of their election campaigns are funded by major oil companies. We just survived a Republican president, George W. Bush, that thought nothing of pulling out of the Kyoto Treaty and tried to convince everyone that drilling for oil in a fragile Arctic wilderness was a good idea.

Now we have a Democrat president, Barack Obama, and democratic congressional leaders who seem to think that making money through auctioning off the right to pollute is a good way to go instead of aggressively clamping down on emissions and forcing companies to adapt cleaner safer technologies for their plants.

It is reasons like this that make the Green Party’s push for a greener and healthier Earth a timely and relevant stance. We need to stop bowing to political pressure and stop rewarding executives who think nothing of destroying the planet we live on all in the name of making a quick buck. It’s obvious that our current national leadership cannot be entrusted with our future and it is time we turn to new leaders who have a long-term vision and the courage to make good decisions instead of popular ones.

Turning on the news is impossible these days without being bombarded with a heavy dose of the latest celebrity gossip.

Unless you live under a rock, I’m sure everyone has heard by now about racist rants by Mel Gibson to his ex-girlfirend or the fact that Lindsay Lohan is now going to jail for violating her probation.

But how many people know of the political turmoil in Pakistan? Or the anarchy gripping Somalia? Or the ongoing genocide in Sudan? The sad truth is the number informed on those issues is much smaller than the group who seem to know every move a celebrity makes – right down to what they ate for breakfast this morning.

Our celebrity culture distracts our attention from the issues that matter. Everyone, it seems, wants to live vicariously through the rich and famous. But is it really helpful to engage in such fervent celebrity worship? What positive contributions do they make to our society?

If we spent less time on obsessing on celebrities, the public would have a greater understanding of the world around them and would be able to focus on issues that matter and come up with solutions to many problems now collectively plaguing us.

The great irony is that political and business leaders like it this way. They like having the average citizen being distracted by following mundane details in the life of their favorite movie star or rock star. They know that if people don’t pay attention, those people are less likely to care and things can continue to operate like they always do.

If you want more accountability from your elected leaders, the answer is simple. If you want to see problems like poverty, unemployment, crime and war be given solutions that actually work, it is obvious what needs to be done. We need to start rejecting our celebrity culture. We do not need to feed their lust for the limelight. If we truly reassess what really matters, we will find that celebrity news is way down on the list.

The wheels are in motion on a United Nations treaty that will significant impede weapons from pouring into war zones around the globe. This is a sorely needed pact that will hopefully mean a reduction in the hundreds of people around the world who die daily as a result of armed conflict.

More than $55 billion is generated annually from arms sales, which makes funneling illegal weapons into global hot spots a profitable activity. But it is definitely not an ethical one. Easier access to weapons in these areas has only served to fuel wars, genocides and atrocities.

After debating the issue for countless years, the U.N. General Assembly voted to begin working on a treaty last October. The U.N. is now in preparation sessions and is scheduled to formalize a treaty in 2012 that would regulate the flow of weapons by setting a common international standard for arms sales to replace the current patchwork of national laws that vary from one nation to another.

Predictably, the measure has met opposition in places like Russia, China, Pakistan and India. Such opposition is predictable given that each country is a major arms seller. The hope here is that the U.N. will not cave into opposition from a select few countries, but will be wise enough to do what is best for everyone.

Here in the United States, we should resolve to support any treaty that regulates the arms trade and reduces the flow of illegal weapons into other countries. Stronger international laws on weapons will only help us in our efforts to curb terrorism at home and abroad. Gun control is not always a popular issue for conservatives in this country, but few of them can truly dispute with stronger weapons laws meant to end war and bloodshed if they look at the issue with an open mind.

Anything that can promote peace and harmony on a global scale is a pursuit that fits in with every Green Party ideal and will earn its complete support.

The Green Party has worked tirelessly to represent those you want more ethical food choices–more vegetable, less slaughter.

Meat substitutes are easy to find. Also referred to as analogues, meat substitutes are typically composed of soy, tofu, or wheat gluten. When shopping for alternative options, keep in mind the difference between vegan and vegetarian meals. Some analogues use egg whites as a binding agent, and therefore aren’t appropriate for a vegan meal. Meat analogues come in every option from cold cuts and hamburgers, to chicken nuggets and ground beef. The meats will certainly not have an identical taste to red meat or chicken, but the differences are minute.

Soy, rice, tofu, or almond products usually replace dairy products. Soy milk works well for cow’s milk and comes in a variety of flavors. Rice milk and almond milk are also available for consumption, but may not work as well for baking replacements. Ice cream, cheese and yogurt all have dairy-free substitutes as well, typically utilizing tofu and soy. If you own a dessert or ice cream business, there is a great opportunity to create a vegan and vegetarian menu for your customers.

The largest substitute for baking comes from eggs. You can use tofu or cornstarch instead of eggs. Every recipe will have different requirements, and if you’re baking on your own, you may have to experiment with a couple options. You can also research on the Internet or look through vegan and vegetarian cookbooks for more assistance.

Anytime a manufacturer makes too many of one particular item or determines an item is too hard to sell, the product may become an overstock product. The company may place the item in a separate category designed to move it quickly. Some companies use a coupon with a price reduction to make the item more attractive to consumers, encouraging them to act quickly and to purchase the item right away.

The best way to get great savings in using overstock codes is to be sure to frequent the coupon site and see what’s new, what’s available, or what’s about to expire. Manufacturers frequently list deals with retailers to eliminate a lot of the overstock merchandise that they have in their warehouses. There are deep savings and valuable deals that you can obtain from overstocked items, and having a coupon to accompany the deal makes it even better.

To stay abreast of what coupons and savings are available, subscribe to a company’s blog or online feed link so you can receive advance notice of deals, discounts, and updates. Anytime a deal becomes available that interests you, act on it right away. Once the company sells out of the item, it may no longer be available for purchase. In some cases, the manufacturer may discontinue the item, which means you won’t be able to find it anywhere else. Shopping with overstock coupon codes can be a significant savings investment, which is why many people prefer to use this means as the only way to buy those “wish list” items.

Silver, like gold and platinum, is a metal that a lot of people invest in. Many people use their silver investments to help support their political party such as the Green Party.  It’s popular because it has generally been increasing in value, but it’s also popular because it costs much less than gold. That makes it accessible to many more people, so they can own metal that will make them a modest return on their investment over time. There are many different ways to invest in the metal, though, and it’s important to realize how all of these work before you choose one. Don’t assume that you need to buy heavy bars of metal and store them in a vault at home. There are other options.

Futures and commodities are other ways in which to invest in precious metals. When you do this, you aren’t actually buying any of the metal that you can hold. You are speculating on what the price of the metal will be at a certain point in the future. If you do well at this, you can make good money. If you’re not skilled at this kind of speculative trading or the market takes an unexpected turn, you could lose a great deal. It’s a good idea to never gamble more than you can afford to lose, no matter what kind of gamble you’re taking. Then if things go sour you won’t be out money that you desperately needed.

Commodities and futures might not be for you when considering the precious metals market, but there are plenty of ways you can invest and feel as though you’ve made a wise decision for your financial future. Before you start investing, talk with a professional so you’re better able to make the right decisions for yourself and your money. Checking with a professional can help you be sure that you’re moving in the right direction.

The sad reality is that few political leaders seem to understand or even care what the consequences are upon the individual soldiers once the war is through. Little concern is shown when veterans show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder long after returning home. But the fact is that PTSD is something that can rob a person of the ability to hold down a job, can tear apart friendships and relationships with family and force that person into a state of isolation, fear and frustration.

Recent rule changes by the Federal Government are designed to make it easier for veterans to meet with mental health professionals. Now they are not required to show proof of whatever incidents are causing the stress after coming home. But it is just the first step that needs to be made.

All soldiers should be given the option of counseling with mental health professionals upon returning home from the battlefield, regardless of whether or not PTSD symptoms are apparent. The mental health of those who serve this nation should be just as important as their physical health.

By getting the counseling and treatment they need in a timely manner, a soldier can learn to better cope with the horrors of war so that his or her memories do not become an obstacle to returning to a normal life. If those painful experiences are not dealt with, they can end up being a new battlefield for a soldier. And, given what we know about post-traumatic stress disorder, it is a battle they should not have to fight alone.

The bond value is its market value. So that makes bond values sensitive to market interest rates. Then bond valuation is the process that determines what the fair price of a bond should be. Theoretically, the value of a bond is the present value of the stream of revenue that is expected. When the bond value has been calculated a more sensitive price can be affixed to the bond yields.

The bond value is determined by understanding that the bond itself remains constant while other facts vary and one of those factors is a fluctuating economy. A bond that has an attractive interest rate at the beginning of a five-year term may lose value because of an inflationary period during the five years.

When buying a bond for a dollar amount ($1,000) that pays a specific interest rate (4%), the investor receives $40 a year in two payments of $20 every six months. This is the interest payment and is referred to as a coupon. After the interest has been paid for the number of years the bond was purchased for, the bond would have matured and the principal is returned to receive the par value. The borrower has thus ended his liability.

The bond value is the value at the time of maturity which is when the principal is returned. If the interest rate on $1,000 is 5% after the 8-year maturity, the market value is higher than the $1,000 that was paid for it, so the capital gain is $65. All bonds have twelve months to maturity before they can be redeemed.

There are different types of bonds and their value is calculated differently. For convertible bonds, the value of the bond is calculated without consideration that it may be converted to common stock. So the bond value is the convertible bond value minus the value of the conversion option.

One thing the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has underscored is that corporations are not looking out for our best interests. In the midst of one worst ecological crises of our generation, BP has worried more about its own public image than finding real solutions to the problems it has caused for millions of people.

Ecological wisdom is one of the original four pillars of the Green Party and it is easy to see with this whole BP episode why we need to take care of the environment in which we live. The toll from the millions of barrels of oil in the Gulf Waters has been devastating on so many levels.

Oily waters are proving toxic to shrimp, crabs, lobsters, crawfish and varieties of fish that are vital to the livelihood of a vast majority of residents along the gulf coast. Harming the seafood industry in this part of the United States will negatively affect the economy of the nation as a whole. Tens of thousands of people are looking at losing their jobs and their homes because the oily waters have ruined traditional fishing grounds.

The oil spill has also had a profoundly devastating effect on other non-marine wildlife. Brown pelicans – the official bird of Louisiana – are getting coated with oil when fishing for food and the result has meant large numbers of this bird species dying as a result. It was only recently that this species had been removed from the endangered species list. Now a man-made threat is undermining all the work done in past decades to preserve the brown pelican.

A society run by corporate greed is a society that will head for destruction if left unchecked. We need to use this oil spill by BP as a wake-up call to fight for policies and laws that will protect our environment. It is more than just a good idea. It is a key to a better life for all of us – human and animal alike.

When searching for the best mortgage rate quotes, it’s important to compare the current mortgage rates for the exact same mortgage you plan on getting. These rates and closing costs will change dramatically from the day you begin looking to the day you actually apply for the loan. So it’s important to keep that in mind when searching for mortgage rate quotes.

For example, while comparing mortgage rates, you may come across a quote that says 5.75 percent for a 30-year fixed rate; only compare that rate to other 30-year fixed rates at that same percentage.

Now that you’ve compared that, it’s important to get the total of all points and lenders’ fees for all mortgage rates you’re comparing. This will be the total price of your mortgage. When you compare the numbers, the lender with the lowest cost is your best mortgage rate quote.

For homebuyers looking to refinance their home, it’s important to go over costs for the following: title insurance, closing costs, attorney fees, and appraisal. Many companies will give homebuyers great rates. To decide the best company, add up the points, fees, and any third party costs for each rate; the company with the lowest total cost has the best mortgage rate quote.

There are a few things to be on the look when getting mortgage rate quotes. It’s important to know that the APR won’t always be 100 percent accurate. The only real way to get the most accurate mortgage rate quote is to look at the current mortgage rates and closing costs.

For the most part Good Faith Estimates are just that, an estimate. When getting mortgage rate quotes, majority of the brokers will low ball the estimate and once you’ve paid for your appraisal, they’ll tell you the mortgage rate and closing costs are actually higher than previously mentioned.

There are approximately 2.3 million inmates incarcerated in U.S. prisons. Out of this number, more than 50 percent have a documented history of drug addiction and substance abuse. While it is true not all of these inmates were sentenced to prison on drug-related charges, in many cases their crimes directly resulted either from the need to feed their ongoing addiction or were committed as a direct result of being under the influence of a drug.

Drug-related arrests have risen steadily in the past two decades and the sad factor in this increase is that the numbers of repeat offenders are on the rise as well. It underscores one gaping area of neglect in an often futile war on drugs: the inability or unwillingness to rehabilitate drug users.

According to a report released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse in 2009, just one-fifth of prison inmates get some form of treatment for drug addictions. The report showed the success of prison drug rehabilitation programs, however, by noting that heroin addicts who received no treatment for their addiction were three times as likely to end back up in prison after serving their original term.

Obviously, drug treatment programs in prisons would go a long way toward helping inmates solve their problems and become functioning members of society again. The approach of state and federal government types is to punish addicts rather than heal them and that is the wrong way to look at the big picture.

By showing forth a humane side and curing the addiction, we can effectively reduce prison populations and funnel our tax dollars back into shoring up more worthwhile programs like education and healthcare.

Then, there is the issue of public safety. Do we really want to be a society of addicts and prisoners? Do we want such a bleak future for our children? A healthy nation is a nation that helps all of its citizens, rather than locking them away and trying to forget about them.

Kagan has taken great pains in recent hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee to back away from her liberal roots and philosophies and embrace some superficial conservative principles in order to impress Republican senators who are on the committee. It seems to be a disingenuous maneuver, but is probably a necessary one if Kagan hopes to eventually take her place as a judge in the nation’s highest court.

The majority of the American public is sick of these political games that seem to go on every time any appointment to any office is made. While it is important to thoroughly examine any candidate or appointee and discern if they are fit for that particular job, it seems like it matters more if a donkey or elephant is next to a person’s name rather than their history and philosophy.

It is dangerous to especially let partisan bickering find its way into places like the Supreme Court. Because Supreme Court judges serve such long terms on the bench and have such a profound influence on shaping constitutional law, petty politics should be taken out of the equation. An appointee should be judged on their history and philosophy alone. Leave party affiliation out the question. Instead, let’s choose the best person for the job.

With partisan rhetoric tearing our nation apart in the executive and legislative branch, the judicial branch should serve as a check on either of those branches from creating laws that are not in the best interests of the people they serve. Given how partisan the nomination process for the Supreme Court has become, however, that ideal may unfortunately soon become a relic of the past.

As another Independence Day has come and gone this year, it gives us a chance more than two centuries later to reflect upon the ideals and principles embodied in the American Revolution that have been disseminated throughout the entire world.

When the American colonists took it upon themselves to rebel from being subjected to the British Empire, they put forth the radical notion of representative government. In effect, these colonists took a stand and declared to be governed by a government that truly represented them. No longer would they tolerate being taxed without having a voice in laws and policies that directly affected them.

We can take a page from that book even here in the 21st Century. It is wise to observe our elected officials in action. Do they pass and uphold laws that are in the best interest of those people whom they are elected to serve? Do they undertake actions that are in the best collective interest of the people or are they beholden to the special interest groups who make the largest campaign contributions?

Sadly, the reality is that many elected officials seem unconcerned about the welfare of those people whom they claim to represent. Poverty and crime are a growing concern as our economy is in turmoil. Yet, our Federal government seems more inclined to bailout large corporations in a misguided effort to reward them for making bad decisions. Our environment suffers from cutting corners and ignoring green practices in the name of industrial progress. Yet, precious little is done to develop alternative natural fuels and enforce laws designed to create a safer and cleaner Earth.

It is at times like Independence Day weekend where we should resolve to draw on the courage of the men and women who helped bring this nation to life. We should hold those elected to serve us accountable. If they refuse to govern with wisdom and long-term vision, we should find the courage needed to elect a candidate who is more attuned to the voice of the people.

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control revealed some grim news. Data from the report suggested that the number of obese children in our nation has increased more than three times in the last three decades. This is an alarming trend for the long-term health of our society.

We are fast becoming a nation that wants instant greasy meals over true nutrition and a society of people that would rather play video games and surf the internet rather than engage in physical activity and enjoy the outside world. We should not become slaves to the technology designed to make things easier and more convenient if it means poorer health for us as individuals and collectively.

So what are some steps we can take to combat these problems? Simple. Embrace a healthy diet. Not only does healthy eating help us with our physical health, it has a profound impact in the world around us. If we choose to eat organic foods instead of processed foods, for example, we can limit in our own small way the environmental damage done by chemicals, artificial hormones and manufacture of styrofoam containers used to hold our burgers and fries.

Healthy living also means less time spent in the hospital getting treated for diseases related to a poor diet and weight problems. Imagine what impact it would have on our bloated health care system if more people simply took care of themselves. Would it eliminate the need for hospitals, medicines and health insurance? Of course not. But health care costs for the average American would definitely shrink if more Americans put forth the effort to take care of themselves.

A healthier society can begin with the simple rejection of a fast food lifestyle.

Most U.S. law schools require that applicants take the LSAT test as one element of their evaluation for admittance. Thus, a high test score can be a crucial element in making it into a competitive school.

What does it take to ace the test? It takes more than just a degree from a four-year university. Test preparation is essential. It’s not a test you can just “show up for” and fake your way through.

The test is usually administered on a Saturday, and takes about a half day. It’s geared toward scoring an applicant’s ability to think like a lawyer—to think critically, organize information and to reason through and analyze arguments. The test is made up of five 35 minute multiple choice tests and one 35-minute written test.

Preparation for the test involves an intensive study of the logic of the test, with practice questions and various legal arguments, all geared toward immersing the possible future law student in the structure of the real test. The individual who takes on LSAT prep with truly serious intent has a much greater likelihood of coming through with a successful law school application.

A piece of legislation signed into law by President Obama is touted as making comprehensive major changes to existing financial regulations in the United States. The question is will it do enough to reverse the damage done by corporate greed?

Under the new law, new regulations will be put in place to prevent risky lending practices that contributed to our current economic mess. At the center of the law is a newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This new agency will possess broad powers, including authority to create new rules governing mortgages, credit cards and payday loans and the authority to enforce these rules as a way to protect consumers.

Federal officials under the new law will be given a new host of powers to regulate and dissolve large financial companies if their business practices threaten economic stability.

The primary goal of this law is to put an end to massive bailouts funded by taxpayer dollars. That is indeed a worthy ideal and one that should be pursued. It will be a better day if large financial conglomerates can be impeded in their efforts to make a fortune on the backs of poor and desperate people.

In reality, measures such as this one do not go far enough to get this country back on sound footing economically. There are so many more things that can be done.

Expensive bailouts need to end immediately. Laws can be put in place requiring corporate executives to personally repay debts incurred if their companies fail. That would cause the damage to consumers to be less severe and would prevent some heartless CEO from profiting off the misfortune of others. And you can bet that financial firms would be less willing to continue risky lending practices if those at the top paid for it out of their own wallets.

Protections need to also be in place curtail sky high interest rates that make loan repayments impossible. Many of the credit issues consumers now face would go away if credit card companies and lending institutions were not permitted to charge 20 percent interest or more.

Paying bills: Payday loans can help pay expenses and bills when savings are not at your disposal. This can be used for bills such as a shortage on the rent or mortgage, or even a car payment where the consequences can be loss of that item.

Fast and Easy: You can apply for Payday loans within minutes and a response of whether or not there is an approval is just as fast; sometimes within seconds. There is no waiting for days or hours only to find out you have to start over with another creditor or bank.

No credit, no problem: Companies providing Payday loans do not access your credit report meaning if you have bad or less than savory credit, this will not impede your ability to receive a payday loan. This also means your credit report won’t take an additional hit.

Remain anonymous: Since the entire process is done online, you can get a credit check without having to travel to an office or meet with someone in person. As long as you have an Internet connection that you can access, you can apply for a payday loan. The ability to make repayments online is also a handy feature, which means no trip to the brick and mortar store, waiting in line to make a payment that is due. In addition, no one has to know that you had to borrow money.

A payday loan is an excellent resource in times of emergencies. While it’s not a permanent solution, it is perfect for someone who needs cash in a hurry and doesn’t have the resources to obtain it otherwise.